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OF 

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OF  CALIFORNIA 

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MONSIEUR  LECOQ 


Lecoq  pushed  open  the  glass  doors    .     .     .     and  entered  the 
office. —Page  193. 


MONSIEUR 
LECOQ 


Translated  from  the  French  of 

EMILE   GABORIAU 


Illustrated  by 
BAYARD  JONES 


Charles  Scribner's  Sons 
New  York  .    1906 


COPYRIGHT,  1880,  BY 
ESTES   &   LAURIAT 


COPYRIGHT,  1900,  BY 
CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 


College 
Library 

T9 


LIST   OF   ILLUSTRATIONS 

Lecoq  pushed  open  the  glass  doors    .    .    .    and  entered 
the  office Frontispiece 

Facing 
page 

Opposite  them    .    .    .    stood  a  young  man,  a  heavy  oaken 


table  forming  a  rampart  before  him. 


"  Can  you  not  see,  Monsieur,  that  you  are  torturing  me 

frightfully,  pitilessly?" 182 

There  was  evident  suspicion  in  the  glance  he  cast  around 
him 314 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ 


CHAPTER  I 

On  February  20,  18 — ,  a  Sunday  that  chanced  to  be 
Shrove  Sunday,  about  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening,  a 
party  of  agents  of  the  safety-service  left  the  police- 
station  at  the  old  Barriere  d'ltalie. 

The  mission  of  this  party  was  to  explore  that  vast 
precinct  which  extends  from  the  road  to  Fontainebleau 
to  the  Seine,  and  from  the  outer  boulevards  to  the  for- 
tifications. 

This  quarter  of  the  city  had  at  that  time  anything 
but  an  enviable  reputation.  To  venture  there  at  night 
was  considered  so  dangerous  that  soldiers  from  the 
forts,  who  came  to  Paris  with  permission  to  attend  the 
theatre,  were  ordered  to  wait  at  the  barriere,  and  not 
to  pass  through  the  perilous  locality  except  in  parties 
of  three  or  four. 

After  midnight,  these  gloomy  and  narrow  streets  be- 
came the  haunt  of  flocks  of  homeless  vagabonds.  Es- 
caped criminals  and  malefactors  made  this  quarter  their 
rendezvous.  If  the  day  had  been  a  lucky  one,  they 
made  merry  over  their  spoils.  When  sleep  overtook 
them,  they  hid  in  doorways  or  among  the  rubbish  in 
deserted  houses. 

Every  effort  had  been  made  to  dislodge  these  dan- 


2  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

gerous  guests,  but  the  most  energetic  measures  had 
failed  of  success. 

Watched,  hunted,  and  in  imminent  danger  of  arrest 
though  they  were,  they  always  returned  with  idiotic 
obstinacy,  obeying,  as  one  might  suppose,  some  mys- 
terious law  of  attraction. 

Hence,  the  police  had  there  an  immense  trap,  con- 
stantly baited,  to  which  their  game  came  of  their  own 
accord  to  be  caught. 

The  result  of  a  tour  of  inspection  was  so  certain, 
that  it  was  with  an  assured  tone  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  post  called  to  the  squad  as  they  departed : 

"  I  will  prepare  lodgings  for  our  guests.  Good  luck 
to  you,  and  much  pleasure !  " 

This  last  wish  was  pure  irony,  for  the  weather  was 
the  most  disagreeable  that  could  be  imagined. 

A  very  heavy  snow-storm  had  prevailed  for  several 
days.  It  was  now  beginning  to  thaw,  and  on  all  the  fre- 
quented thoroughfares  the  slush  was  ankle-deep.  It 
was  still  cold,  however ;  a  damp  chill  filled  the  air,  and 
penetrated  to  the  very  marrow  of  one's  bones.  Be- 
sides, there  was  a  dense  fog,  so  dense  that  one  could  not 
see  one's  hands  before  one's  face. 

"  What  a  beastly  job !  "  growled  one  of  the  agents. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  inspector  who  commanded  the 
squad ;  "  I  think  if  you  had  an  income  of  thirty  thou- 
sand francs  you  would  not  be  here." 

The  laugh  that  greeted  this  commonplace  joke  was 
not  so  much  flattery  as  homage  to  a  recognized  and  es- 
tablished superiority. 

The  inspector  was,  in  fact,  one  of  the  most  esteemed 
members  of  the  force,  a  man  who  had  proved  his 
worth. 

His  powers  of  penetration  were  not,  perhaps,  very 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3 

great;  but  he  thoroughly  understood  his  business,  its 
resources,  its  labyrinths,  and  its  artifices.  Long  prac- 
tice had  given  him  imperturbable  coolness,  a  great  con- 
fidence in  himself,  and  a  sort  of  coarse  diplomacy,  that 
answered  in  place  of  shrewdness. 

To  his  failings  and  to  his  virtues  he  added  incon- 
testable courage. 

He  laid  his  hand  upon  the  collar  of  the  most  danger- 
ous malefactor  as  tranquilly  as  a  devotee  dips  his 
fingers  in  a  basin  of  holy  water. 

He  was  a  man  about  forty-six  years  of  age,  strongly 
built,  with  rugged  features,  a  heavy  mustache,  and 
rather  small,  gray  eyes,  hidden  by  bushy  eyebrows. 

His  name  was  Gevrol,  but  he  was  universally  known 
as  "  General." 

This  sobriquet  was  pleasing  to  his  vanity,  which  was 
not  slight,  as  his  subordinates  well  knew ;  and,  doubt- 
less, he  felt  that  he  ought  to  receive  from  them  the  con- 
sideration due  a  person  of  that  .exalted  rank. 

"  If  you  begin  to  complain  already,"  he  added, 
gruffly,  "  what  will  you  do  by  and  by  ?  " 

In  fact,  it  was  too  soon  to  complain. 

The  little  party  were  then  passing  up  the  Rue  de 
Choisy.  The  people  upon  the  sidewalks  were  orderly ; 
and  the  lights  of  the  wine-shops  illuminated  the  street. 

For  all  these  places  were  open.  There  is  no  fog  nor 
thaw  that  is  potent  enough  to  dismay  lovers  of  pleas- 
ure. And  a  boisterous  crowd  of  maskers  filled  each 
saloon  and  public  ball-room. 

Through  the  open  windows  came,  alternately,  the 
sounds  of  loud  voices  and  bursts  of  noisy  music.  Occa- 
sionally a  drunken  man  staggered  along  the  pavement, 
or  a  masked  figure  crept  along  in  the  shadow  of  the 
houses. 


4  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Before  certain  establishments  Gevrol  commanded  a 
halt.  He  gave  a  peculiar  whistle  and  almost  immedi- 
ately a  man  came  out.  It  was  another  member  of  the 
force.  His  report  was  listened  to,  and  then  the  squad 
passed  on. 

"  To  the  left,  boys !  "  ordered  Gevrol ;  "  we  will  take 
the  Rue  d'lvry,  and  then  cut  through  the  shortest  way 
to  the  Rue  de  Chevaleret." 

From  this  point  the  expedition  became  really  dis- 
agreeable. 

Their  way  led  through  an  unfinished  street  that  had 
not  even  been  named,  full  of  mud-puddles  and  deep- 
holes,  and  obstructed  with  all  sorts  of  rubbish. 

There  were  no  longer  any  lights  or  drinking  saloons ; 
no  footsteps,  no  voices;  nothing  but  solitude,  gloom 
and  silence. 

One  might  have  supposed  one's  self  a  hundred 
leagues  from  Paris,  had  it  not  been  for  the  deep  and 
continuous  murmur  that  always  arises  from  a  large 
city,  like  the  hollow  roaring  of  a  torrent  in  the  depths 
of  a  cave. 

All  the  men  had  turned  up  their  pantaloons,  and 
were  advancing  slowly,  picking  their  way  as  carefully 
as  an  Indian  when  he  is  stealing  upon  his  prey. 

They  had  just  passed  the  Rue  de  Chateau  des-Ren- 
tier,  when  suddenly  a  wild  shriek  rent  the  air. 

At  this  place,  and  at  this  hour,  this  cry  was  so  fright- 
fully significant,  that  all  the  men  paused  as  if  by  com- 
mon impulse. 

"  Did  you  hear  that,  General  ?  "  asked  one  of  the 
police,  in  a  low  voice. 

"  Yes,  there  is  murder  going  on  not  far  from  here — 
but  where  ?  Silence !  let  us  listen." 

They  all  stood  motionless,  with  anxious  ears,  hold- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  5 

ing  their  breath,  and  soon  a  second  cry,  or  rather  a  wild 
howl,  resounded. 

"  Ah !  "  exclaimed  the  captain  of  the  guard,  "  it  is  at 
the  Poivriere."  * 

This  peculiar  appellation  described  exactly  the  place 
which  it  designated,  and  the  guests  that  were  wont  to 
frequent  it. 

In  figurative  language  that  has  its  source  in  Mount 
Parnassus,  they  say  that  a  man  is  "  peppered  "  when  he 
leaves  his  good  sense  in  the  bottom  of  his  glass ;  hence 
the  sobriquet  of  "  stealers  of  pepper  "  given  to  the 
rascals  whose  specialty  is  to  plunder  inoffensive  and 
helpless  drunken  men. 

"  What !  "  added  Gevrol,  "  you  do  not  know  Mother 
Chupin's  drinking  saloon  there,  on  the  right.  Run." 

And  setting  the  example,  he  dashed  off  in  the  direc- 
tion indicated.  His  men  followed,  and  in  less  than  a 
minute  they  reached  a  hovel,  sinister  of  aspect  and 
standing  alone. 

It  was  indeed  from  this  house  that  the  cries  had  pro- 
ceeded. They  were  repeated,  and  were  immediately 
followed  by  two  pistol  shots. 

The  house  was  hermetically  closed,  but  through  the 
heart-shaped  windows  covered  with  shutters,  filtered  a 
reddish  light  like  that  of  a  fire. 

One  of  the  policemen  darted  to  one  of  these  win- 
dows, and  raising  himself  up  by  clinging  to  the  shut- 
ters with  his  hands,  he  endeavored  to  peer  through  the 
cracks,  and  to  see  what  was  passing  within. 

Gevrol  himself  ran  to  the  door.  "  Open !  "  he  com- 
manded, striking  it  heavily. 

No  response. 

But  they  could  hear  plainly  the  sound  of  a  terrible 
*  Pepper-box. 


6  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

struggle — of  fierce  imprecations,  hollow  groans,  and 
occasionally  the  sobs  of  a  woman. 

"  Horrible !  "  cried  the  policeman,  who  was  peering 
through  the  shutters ;  "  it  is  horrible !  " 

This  exclamation  decided  Gevrol. 

"  Open,  in  the  name  of  the  law!  "  he  cried,  a  third 
time. 

And  no  person  responding,  with  a  blow  of  his  shoul- 
der that  was  as  violent  as  a  blow  from  a  battering-ram, 
he  dashed  open  the  door. 

Then  the  horror-stricken  accent  of  the  man  who  had 
been  peering  through  the  shutters  was  explained. 

The  room  presented  such  a  spectacle  that  all  the 
agents,  and  even  Gevrol  himself,  remained  for  a  mo- 
ment rooted  to  their  places,  cold  with  unspeakable 
horror. 

Everything  about  the  place  denoted  that  it  had  been 
the  scene  of  a  terrible  struggle,  one  of  those  savage  con- 
flicts that  too  often  stain  the  drinking  saloons  of  the 
barrieres  with  blood. 

The  lights  had  been  extinguished  at  the  beginning 
of  the  strife,  but  a  huge  fire  of  pine  logs  illuminated  the 
remotest  corners  of  the  room. 

Tables,  glasses,  decanters,  household  utensils,  and 
stools  had  been  overturned,  thrown  in  every  direction, 
trodden  upon  and  shivered  into  fragments. 

Near  the  fireplace  two  men  were  stretched  upon  the 
floor.  They  were  lying  motionless  upon  their  backs, 
their  arms  crossed.  A  third  was  lying  in  the  middle  of 
the  room. 

A  woman  crouched  upon  the  lower  steps  of  a  stair- 
case leading  up  to  the  floor  above.  She  had  thrown 
her  apron  over  her  head,  and  was  uttering  inarticulate 
moans. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  7 

Opposite  them,  on  the  threshold  of  a  wide-open  door 
leading  into  an  adjoining  room,  stood  a  young  man,  a 
heavy  oaken  table  forming  a  rampart  before  him. 

He  was  of  medium  stature,  and  wore  a  full  beard. 

His  clothing,  which  was  like  that  worn  by  porters 
about  the  wharves  and'  railway  stations,  was  torn  to 
fragments,  and  soiled  with  dust  and  wine  and  blood. 

This  certainly  was  the  murderer.  The  expression  of 
his  face  was  terrible.  A  mad  fury  blazed  in  his  eyes, 
and  a  convulsive  sneer  distorted  his  features.  In  his 
neck  and  on  his  cheek  were  two  wounds  that  were 
bleeding  profusely. 

In  his  right  hand,  covered  with  a  handkerchief,  he 
held  a  pistol,  which  he  aimed  at  the  intruders. 

"  Surrender !  "  cried  Gevrol. 

The  man's  lips  moved,  but  in  spite  of  a  visible  effort 
he  could  not  articulate  a  syllable. 

"  Don't  do  any  mischief,"  continued  the  inspector, 
"  we  are  in  force,  you  cannot  escape ;  so  lay  down  your 
arms." 

"  I  am  innocent,"  exclaimed  the  man,  in  a  hoarse, 
strained  voice. 

"  Naturally,  but  we  do  not  see  it." 

"  I  have  been  attacked ;  ask  that  old  woman.  I  de- 
fended myself ;  I  have  killed — I  had  a  right  to  do  so ; 
it  was  in  self-defence!  " 

The  gesture  with  which  he  enforced  these  words  was 
so  menacing  that  one  of  the  policemen  drew  Gevrol 
violently  to  one  side,  saying,  as  he  did  so : 

"  Take  care,  General,  take  care !  The  revolver  has 
five  barrels,  and  we  have  heard  but  two  shots." 

But  the  inspector  was  inaccessible  to  fear ;  he  freed 
himself  from  the  grasp  of  his  subordinate  and  again 
stepped  forward  speaking  in  a  still  calmer  tone. 


8  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  No  foolishness,  my  boy ;  if  your  case  is  a  good  one, 
which  is  possible  after  all,  do  not  spoil  it." 

A  frightful  indecision  betrayed  itself  on  the  young 
man's  features.  He  held  Gevrol's  life  at  the  end  of  his 
finger ;  was  he  about  to  press  the  trigger  ? 

No,  he  suddenly  threw  his  weapon  to  the  floor,  say- 
ing: 

"  Come  and  take  me!  " 

And  turning,  he  darted  into  the  adjoining  room,  hop- 
ing doubtless  to  escape  by  some  place  of  egress  known 
to  himself. 

Gevrol  had  expected  this  movement.  He  sprang 
after  him  with  outstretched  arms,  but  the  table  retarded 
him. 

"  Ah!  "  he  exclaimed,  "  the  wretch  escapes  us!  " 

But  the  fate  of  the  fugitive  was  already  decided. 

While  Gevrol  was  parleying,  one  of  the  policemen — 
the  one  who  had  peered  through  the  window — had 
made  a  circuit  of  the  house  and  had  effected  an  en- 
trance through  the  back  door. 

As  the  murderer  was  darting  out,  this  man  sprang 
upon  him,  seized  him,  and  with  surprising  strength 
and  agility  dragged  him  back. 

The  murderer  tried  to  resist;  in  vain.  He  had  lost 
his  strength:  he  tottered  and  fell  upon  the  table  that 
had  protected  him,  murmuring,  loud  enough  for  every- 
one to  hear : 

"  Lost!     It  is  the  Prussians  who  are  coming!  " 

This  simple  and  decisive  manoeuvre  on  the  part  of 
the  subordinate  had  won  the  victory,  and  must  have 
delighted  the  inspector. 

"  Good,  my  boy,"  said  he,  "  very  good !  Ah !  you 
have  a  talent  for  your  business,  and  you  will  do  well  if 
ever  an  opportunity " 


Opposite  them    ,         ,    stood  a  young  man,  a  heavy  oaken  table 
forming  a  rampart  before  him 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  9 

He  checked  himself;  all  his  followers  so  evidently 
shared  his  enthusiasm  that  a  feeling  of  jealousy  over- 
took him.  He  felt  his  prestige  diminishing,  and  has- 
tened to  add: 

"  The  idea  had  occurred  to  me;  but  I  could  not  give 
the  order  without  warning  the  scoundrel  himself." 

This  remark  was  superfluous.  All  the  men  had 
gathered  around  the  murderer.  They  surrounded 
him,  and,  after  binding  his  feet  and  hands,  they  fastened 
him  securely  to  a  chair. 

He  offered  no  resistance.  His  wild  excitement  had 
given  place  to  that  gloomy  prostration  that  follows  all 
unnatural  efforts,  either  of  mind  or  of  body.  Evidently 
he  had  abandoned  himself  to  his  fate. 

When  Gevrol  saw  that  the  men  had  finished  this 
task: 

"  Now,"  he  commanded,  "  let  us  attend  to  the  others; 
and  light  the  lamps,  for  the  fire  is  going  out." 

It  was  with  the  two  men  stretched  out  before  the 
hearth  that  the  inspector  began  his  examination. 

He  questioned  the  beating  of  their  hearts;  their 
hearts  no  longer  beat.  He  held  the  crystal  of  his 
watch  close  to  their  lips;  the  glass  remained  shining 
and  clear. 

"  Useless,"  he  murmured,  after  several  trials,  "  use- 
less; they  are  dead!  They  will  never  see  morning 
again.  Leave  them  in  the  same  position  until  the  arri- 
val of  the  coroner,  and  let  us  look  at  the  third." 

The  third  man  still  breathed.  He  was  a  young  man, 
wearing  the  uniform  of  a  common  soldier.  He  was 
unarmed,  and  his  large  gray  cloak  was  partly  open,  re- 
vealing his  bare  chest. 

They  lifted  him  very  carefully,  for  he  groaned  pite- 
ously  at  the  slightest  movement,  and  they  placed  him 


io  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

in  an  upright  position,  with  his  back  supported  against 
the  wall. 

Soon  he  opened  his  eyes,  and  in  a  faint  voice  asked 
for  something  to  drink. 

They  brought  him  a  glass  of  water;  he  drank  it  with 
evident  satisfaction;  then  he  drew  a  long  breath,  and 
seemed  to  be  regaining  some  of  his  strength. 

"  Where  are  you  wounded?  "  demanded  Gevrol. 

"  In  the  head,  there,"  he  responded,  trying  to  raise 
one  of  his  arms.  "  Oh!  how  I  suffer." 

The  police  agent,  who  had  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the 
murderer,  approached,  and  with  a  dexterity  that  an 
old  surgeon  might  have  envied,  made  an  examination 
of  the  gaping  wound  that  the  young  man  had  received 
in  the  back  of  his  neck. 

"  It  is  nothing,"  the  policeman  declared. 

But  there  was  no  mistaking  the  movement  of  his 
lower  lip.  It  was  evident  that  he  considered  the  wound 
very  dangerous,  probably  mortal. 

"  It  will  be  nothing,"  affirmed  Gevrol ;  "  wounds  in 
the  head,  when  they  dd  not  kill  at  once,  are  cured  in  a 
month." 

The  wounded  man  smiled  sadly. 

"  I  have  received  my  death-blow,"  he  murmured. 

"Nonsense!" 

"  Oh!  it  is  useless  to  say  anything;  I  feel  it,  but  I  do 
not  complain.  I  have  received  only  my  just  deserts." 

All  the  agents  of  police  turned  toward  the  murderer 
on  hearing  these  words.  They  supposed  that  he 
would  take  advantage  of  this  opportunity  to  repeat  his 
protestations  of  innocence. 

Their  expectations  were  disappointed;  he  did  not 
speak,  although  he  must  certainly  have  heard  the 
words. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  n 

"  It  was  the  brigand,  Lacheneur,  who  enticed  me 
here,"  continued  the  wounded  man,  in  a  voice  that  was 
growing  fainter. 

"  Lacheneur?  " 

"  Yes,  Jean  Lacheneur,  a  former  actor,  who  had 
known  me  when  I  was  rich — for  I  have  had  a  fortune, 
but  I  have  spent  it  all ;  I  wished  to  amuse  myself.  He, 
knowing  I  was  without  a  sou,  came  to  me  and  prom- 
ised me  money  enough  to  begin  life  over  again.  And 
because  I  believed  him  I  came  to  die  like  a  dog  in  this 
hole !  Oh !  I  will  have  my  revenge  on  him !  " 

At  the  thought  he  clinched  his  hands  threateningly. 

"  I  will  have  my  revenge,"  he  resumed. 

"  I  know  much  more  than  he  believes.  I  will  tell 
all." 

He  had  presumed  too  much  upon  his  strength. 
Anger  had  given  him  a  moment's  energy,  but  it  was  at 
the  cost  of  the  life  that  was  ebbing  away. 

When  he  again  tried  to  speak,  he  could  not.  Twice 
he  opened  his  lips,  but  there  issued  from  them  only  a 
choking  cry  of  impotent  rage. 

It  was  the  last  manifestation  of  intelligence.  A 
bloody  foam  gathered  upon  his  lips,  his  eyes  rolled 
back  in  their  sockets,  his  body  stiffened,  and  he  fell 
face  downward  in  a  terrible  convulsion. 

"  It  is  over,"  murmured  Gevrol. 

"  Not  yet,"  replied  the  young  policeman,  who  had 
shown  himself  so  efficient;  "but  he  cannot  live  more 
than  two  minutes.  Poor  devil!  he  will  say  nothing." 

The  inspector  of  police  had  risen  from  the  floor  as 
if  he  had  just  witnessed  the  commonest  incident  in  the 
world,  and  was  carefully  dusting  the  knees  of  his  panta- 
loons. 

"  Oh,  well,"  he  responded,  "  we  shall  know  all  we 


12  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

need  to  know.  This  fellow  is  a  soldier,  and  the  num- 
ber of  his  regiment  will  be  given  on  the  buttons  of  his 
cloak." 

A  slight  smile  curved  the  lips  of  his  subordinate. 

"  I  think  you  are  mistaken,  General,"  said  he. 

"  How " 

"  Yes,  I  understand.  Seeing  him  attired  in  a  mili- 
tary coat,  you  have  supposed —  But  no;  this  poor 
wretch  was  no  soldier.  Do  you  wish  an  immediate 
proof  of  this?  Is  his  hair  the  regulation  cut?  Where 
have  you  seen  soldiers  with  their  hair  falling  upon  their 
shoulders?  " 

This  objection  silenced  the  general  for  a  moment; 
but  he  replied,  brusquely: 

"  Do  you  think  that  I  keep  my  eyes  in  my  pocket? 
What  you  have  remarked  did  not  escape  my  notice; 
only  I  said  to  myself,  here  is  a  young  man  who  has 
profited  by  leave  of  absence  to  visit  the  wig-maker." 

"  At  least " 

But  Gevrol  would  permit  no  more  interruptions. 

"  Enough  talk,"  he  declared.  "  We  will  now  hear 
what  has  passed.  Mother  Chupin,  the  old  hussy,  is  not 
dead!" 

As  he  spoke,  he  advanced  toward  the  old  woman, 
who  was  still  crouching  upon  the  stairs.  She  had  not 
spoken,  nor  moved,  nor  ventured  so  much  as  a  look, 
since  the  entrance  of  the  police,  but  her  moans  had  not 
been  discontinued. 

With  a  sudden  movement,  Gevrol  tore  off  the  apron 
which  she  had  thrown  over  her  head,  and  there  she 
stood,  such  as  years,  vice,  poverty,  and  torrents  of 
brandy  and  ratafea  had  made  her;  wrinkled,  shrivelled, 
toothless  and  haggard,  her  skin,  yellow  and  dry  as 
parchment,  drawn  tightly  over  her  bones. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  13 

"  Come,  stand  up !  "  ordered  the  inspector.  "  Your 
lamentations  do  not  trouble  me  much.  You  ought 
to  be  sent  to  prison  for  putting  such  vile  drugs  into 
your  liquors,  to  breed  madness  in  the  brains  of  your 
visitors." 

The  old  woman's  little  red  eyes  travelled  slowly 
around  the  room,  and  in  tearful  tones  she  exclaimed: 

"What  a  misfortune!  what  will  become  of  me? 
Everything  is  broken — I  am  ruined!  " 

She  seemed  to  be  impressed  only  by  the  loss  of  her 
table  utensils. 

"  Now  tell  us  how  this  trouble  began,"  said  Gevrol. 

"Alas!  I  know  nothing  about  it  I 'was  upstairs 
mending  my  son's  clothes,  when  I  heard  a  dispute." 

"  And  after  that?  " 

"  Of  course  I  came  down,  and  I  saw  those  three  men 
that  are  lying  there  picking  a  quarrel  with  that  young 
man  whom  you  have  arrested;  the  poor  innocent!  For 
he  is  innocent,  as  truly  as  I  am  an  honest  woman.  If 
my  son  Poylte  had  been  here  he  would  have  parted 
them;  but  I,  a  poor  widow,  what  could  I  do?  I  cried 
'  Police! '  with  all  my  might." 

After  giving  this  testimony  she  resumed  her  seat, 
thinking  she  had  said  enough.  But  Gevrol  rudely 
ordered  her  to  stand  up  again. 

"  Oh !  we  have  not  done,"  said  he.  "  I  wish  other 
particulars." 

"  What  particulars,  dear  Monsieur  Gevrol,  since  I 
saw  nothing?  " 

Anger  crimsoned  the  large  ears  of  the  inspector. 

"  What  would  you  say,  old  woman,  if  I  arrested 


you 


"  It  would  be  a  great  injustice." 

"  It  is  what  will  happen  if  you  persist  in  remaining 


14  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

silent.  I  have  an  idea  that  a  fortnight  in  Saint-Lazare 
would  untie  your  tongue." 

This  name  produced  the  effect  of  an  electric  shock  on 
the  Widow  Chupin.  She  suddenly  ceased  her  hypo- 
critical lamentations,  rose,  placed  her  hands  defiantly 
upon  her  hips,  and  poured  forth  a  torrent  of  invective 
upon  Gevrol  and  his  agents,  accusing  them  of  persecut- 
ing her  family  since  they  had  previously  arrested  her 
son,  a  mauvais  sujee,  and  swearing  that  she  was  not 
afraid  of  prison,  and  would  be  only  too  glad  to  end  her 
days  there  beyond  the  reach  of  want. 

At  first  the  general  tried  to  impose  silence  upon  the 
terrible  termagant;  but  he  soon  discovered  that  he  was 
powerless;  besides,  all  his  subordinates  were  laughing. 
He  turned  his  back  upon  her,  and  advancing  toward 
the  murderer,  he  said: 

"  You,  at  least,  will  not  refuse  an  explanation." 

The  man  hesitated  for  a  moment. 

"  I  have  already  said  all  that  I  have  to  say,"  he  re- 
plied, at  last.  "  I  have  told  you  that  I  am  innocent; 
and  a  man  on  the  point  of  death  who  was  struck  down 
by  my  hand,  and  this  old  woman,  have  both  confirmed 
my  declaration.  What  more  do  you  desire?  When 
the  judge  questions  me,  I  will,  perhaps,  reply;  until 
then  do  not  expect  another  word  from  me." 

It  was  easy  to  see  that  this  man's  resolution  was  irre- 
vocable ;  and  that  he  was  not  to  be  daunted  by  any  ser- 
geant of  police. 

Very  often  criminals,  from  the  moment  of  their  cap- 
ture, preserve  an  absolute  silence.  These  men  are 
experienced  and  shrewd;  these  are  the  men  who  cause 
lawyers  and  judges  many  sleepless  nights. 

They  have  learned  that  a  system  of  defence  cannot  be 
improvised  at  once;  that  it  is,  on  the  contrary,  a  work 


of  patience  and  of  meditation ;  and  knowing  what  a  ter- 
rible effect  an  apparently  insignificant  response  drawn 
from  them  at  the  moment  of  detection  may  produce 
on  a  court  of  justice,  they  are  silent. 

Gevrol  was  about  to  insist,  when  someone  announced 
that  the  soldier  had  just  breathed  his  last. 

"  As  that  is  so,  my  boys,"  he  remarked,  "  two  of  you 
will  remain  here,  and  I  will  leave  with  the  others.  I 
shall  go  and  arouse  the  commissioner  of  police,  and 
inform  him  of  the  affair ;  he  will  take  the  matter  in 
hand ;  and  we  will  do  whatever  he  commands.  My  re- 
sponsibility will  be  over,  in  any  case.  So  untie  the  legs 
of  our  prisoner,  and  bind  Mother  Chupin's  hands,  and 
we  will  drop  them  both  at  the  station-house  as  we 
pass." 

The  men  hastened  to  obey,  with  the  exception  of  the 
youngest  among  them,  the  same  who  had  won  the  eu- 
logiums  of  the  general. 

He  approached  his  chief,  and  motioning  that  he  de- 
sired to  speak  with  him,  drew  him  outside  the  door. 

When  they  were  a  few  steps  from  the  house: 

"  What  do  you  wish?  "  inquired  Gevrol. 

"  I  want  to  know,  General,  what  you  think  of  this 
affair." 

"  I  think,  my  boy,  that  four  scoundrels  encountered 
each  other  in  this  vile  den.  They  began  to  quarrel ; 
and  from  words  they  came  to  blows.  One  of  them  had 
a  revolver,  and  he  killed  the  others.  It  is  as  clear  as 
daylight.  According  to  his  antecedents,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  antecedents  of  the  victims,  the  assassin  will 
be  judged.  Perhaps  society  owes  him  some  thanks." 

"  And  you  think  that  any  investigation — any  further 
search  is  unnecessary?" 

"  Entirely  unnecessary." 


16  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  younger  man  appeared  to  deliberate  for  a  mo- 
ment. 

"  It  seems  to  me,  General,"  he  replied  at  length, 
"  that  this  affair  is  not  perfectly  clear.  Have  you  no- 
ticed the  murderer,  remarked  his  demeanor,  and  ob- 
served his  look?  Have  you  been  surprised  as  I  have 
been " 

"  By  what?  " 

"  Ah,  well !  it  seems  to  me — I  may,  of  course,  be 
mistaken — but  I  fancy  that  appearances  are  deceitful, 
and Yes,  I  suspect  something." 

"  Bah !     Explain  why  you  should,  if  you  please." 

"  How  can  you  explain  the  power  of  scenting  his 
prey  possessed  by  a  hunting  dog?  " 

Gevrol  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  In  short,"  he  replied,  "  you  scent  a  melodrama  here 
— a  rendezvous  of  great  gentlemen  in  disguise,  here  at 
the  Poivriere — at  the  house  of  Mother  Chupin !  Well, 
hunt  the  mystery,  my  boy;  search  all  you  like;  you 
have  my  permission." 

"What!  you  will  allow  me?" 

"  I  not  only  allow  you,  I  order  you  to  do  it.  You 
are  going  to  remain  here  with  such  a  one  of  your 
comrades  as  you  may  select.  And  if  you  find  anything 
that  I  have  not  seen,  I  will  allow  you  to  buy  me  a  pair 
of  spectacles." 

CHAPTER   II 

The  young  man  to  whom  Gevrol  abandoned  what 
he  thought  an  unnecessary  investigation  was  a  debutant 
in  his  profession. 

His  name  was  Lecoq. 

He  was  a  man  of  twenty-five  or  twenty-six  years  of 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  17 

age,  almost  beardless,  very  pale,  with  red  lips,  and  an 
abundance  of  wavy  black  hair.  He  was  rather  small, 
but  well  proportioned;  and  his  every  movement  be- 
trayed unusual  energy. 

There  was  nothing  remarkable  about  his  appear- 
ance, if  we  except  his  eyes,  which  sparkled  brilliantly 
or  grew  dull,  according  to  his  mood;  and  his  nose, 
whose  large  and  rather  full  nostrils  had  a  surprising 
mobility. 

The  son  of  a  rich  and  respectable  family  in  Nor- 
mandy, Lecoq  had  received  a  good  and  solid  educa- 
tion. 

He  had  begun  his  law  studies  in  Paris,  when  in  the 
same  week,  blow  following  blow,  he  learned  that  his 
father  had  died,  financially  ruined,  and  that  his  mother 
had  survived  him  only  a  few  hours. 

He  was  now  alone  in  the  world,  destitute  of  resources 
— and  he  was  obliged  to  live.  He  had  an  opportunity 
of  learning  his  true  value;  it  was  nothing. 

The  university,  on  bestowing  the  diploma  of  bache- 
lor, does  not  give  an  annuity  with  it.  And  of  what  use 
is  a  college  education  to  a  poor  orphan  boy? 

He  envied  the  lot  of  those  who,  with  a  trade  at  the 
ends  of  their  fingers,  could  boldly  enter  the  office  of 
any  manufacturer,  and  say:  "  I  would  like  work." 

Such  men  were  working  and  eating. 

He  sought  bread  by  all  the  methods  employed  by 
people  who  are  in  reduced  circumstances!  Fruitless 
labor!  There  are  one  hundred  thousand  people  in 
Paris  who  have  seen  better  days. 

No  matter!  He  gave  proofs  of  undaunted  energy. 
He  gave  lessons,  and  he  copied  documents  for  a  lawyer. 
He  made  his  debut  in  a  new  role  almost  every  day,  and 
left  no  means  untried  to  earn  an  honest  livelihood. 


i8  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

At  last  he  obtained  employment  from  a  well-known 
astronomer,  the  Baron  Moser,  and  spent  his  days  in 
solving  bewildering  and  intricate  problems  at  the  rate 
of  one  hundred  francs  a  month. 

But  a  season  of  discouragement  came.  After  five 
years  of  constant  toil,  he  found  himself  at  the  same 
point  from  which  he  had  started.  He  was  nearly  crazed 
with  rage  and  disappointment  when  he  recapitulated 
his  blighted  hopes,  his  fruitless  efforts,  and  the  insults 
he  had  endured. 

The  past  had  been  sad,  the  present  was  intolerable, 
the  future  threatened  to  be  terrible. 

Condemned  to  constant  privations,  he  tried  to  es- 
cape from  the  horrors  of  his  real  life  by  taking  refuge 
in  dreams. 

Alone  in  his  garret,  after  a  day  of  unremitting  toil, 
assailed  by  the  thousand  longings  of  youth,  he  endeav- 
ored to  devise  some  means  of  suddenly  making  him- 
self rich. 

All  reasonable  methods  being  beyond  his  reach,  it 
was  not  long  before  he  was  engaged  in  devising  the 
worst  expedients. 

In  short,  this  moral  and  honest  young  man  spent 
much  of  his  time  in  perpetrating — in  fancy — the  most 
abominable  crimes.  Sometimes  he  himself  was  fright- 
ened by  the  work  of  his  imagination.  An  hour  of  reck- 
lessness was  all  that  was  necessary  to  make  him  pass 
from  the  idea  to  the  fact,  from  theory  to  practice. 

This  is  the  case  with  all  monomaniacs;  an  hour 
comes  in  which  the  strange  conceptions  that  have  filled 
their  brains  can  be  no  longer  held  in  check. 

One  day  he  could  not  help  exposing  to  his  patron  a 
little  plan  which  he  had  conceived,  which  would  enable 
him  to  obtain  five  or  six  hundred  francs  from  London. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  19 

Two  letters  and  a  telegram  were  all  that  was  necessary, 
and  the  game  was  won.  It  was  impossible  to  fail,  and 
there  was  no  danger  of  arousing  suspicion. 

The  astronomer,  amazed  at  the  simplicity  of  the  plan, 
could  but  admire  it.  On  reflection,  however,  he  con- 
cluded that  it  would  not  be  prudent  for  him  to  retain 
so  ingenious  a  secretary  in  his  service. 

This  was  why,  on  the  following  day,  he  gave  him  a 
month's  pay  in  advance,  and  dismissed  him,  saying: 

"  When  one  has  your  disposition,  and  is  poor,  one 
will  either  become  a  famous  thief  or  a  great  detective. 
Choose." 

Lecoq  retired  in  confusion;  but  the  astronomer's 
words  bore  fruit  in  his  mind. 

"  Why  should  I  not  follow  good  advice?  "  he  asked 
himself. 

Police  service  did  not  inspire  him  with  repugnance — 
far  from  it.  He  had  often  admired  that  mysterious 
power  whose  hand  was  everywhere,  which  one  could 
not  see  nor  hear,  but  which  heard  and  saw  everything. 

He  was  delighted  with  the  prospect  of  being  the  in- 
strument of  this  power.  He  considered  such  a  pro- 
fession as  a  useful  and  honorable  employment  of  the 
special  talent  with  which  he  had  been  endowed,  and 
which  promised  a  life  of  excitement,  of  thrilling  advent- 
ures, and  fame  at  last. 

In  short,  this  profession  held  a  wonderful  charm  for 
him. 

So  much  so,  that  on  the  following  week,  thanks  to  a 
letter  from  Baron  Moser,  he  was  admitted  into  the  ser- 
vice. 

A  cruel  disenchantment  awaited  him.  He  had  seen 
the  results,  but  not  the  means.  His  surprise  was  like 
that  of  a  simple-minded  frequenter  of  the  theatre,  when 


20  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

he  is  admitted  for  the  first  time  behind  the  scenes,  and 
sees  the  decorations  and  tinsel  that  are  so  dazzling  at 
a  distance. 

Ah,  well!  the  opportunity  for  which  he  had  so  ar- 
dently longed,  for  which  he  had  been  waiting  for 
months,  had  come  at  last,  he  thought,  on  entering  the 
Poivriere. 

While  he  was  clinging  to  the  window  he  saw  by  the 
light  of  his  ambition  the  pathway  to  success. 

It  was  at  first  only  a  presentiment.  It  soon  became 
a  supposition,  then  a  conviction  based  upon  actual 
facts,  which  had  escaped  the  notice  of  his  companions, 
but  which  he  had  observed  and  carefully  noted. 

Fortune  had,  at  last,  turned  in  his  favor;  he  recog- 
nized this  fact  when  he  saw  Gevrol  neglect  all  but  the 
merest  formalities  of  examination,  when  he  heard  him 
declare  peremptorily  that  this  triple  murder  was  merely 
the  result  of  one  of  those  ferocious  quarrels  so  frequent 
among  vagrants  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 

"  Ah,  well!  "  he  thought;  "  have  it  your  own  way- 
trust  in  appearances,  since  you  will  see  nothing  beneath 
them!  I  will  prove  to  you  that  my  youthful  theory  is 
better  than  all  your  experience." 

The  carelessness  of  the  inspector  gave  Lecoq  a  right 
to  secretly  seek  information  on  his  own  account;  but 
by  warning  his  superior  officer  before  attempting  any- 
thing on  his  own  responsibility,  he  protected  himself 
against  any  accusation  of  ambition  or  of  unduly  taking 
advantage  of  his  comrade.  These  would  be  grave  ac- 
cusations against  him  in  a  profession  where  competi- 
tion and  rivalry  are  most  potent;  and  where  wounded 
vanity  has  so  many  opportunities  to  avenge  itself  by  all 
sorts  of  petty  treason. 

He  spoke  them  to  his  superior  officer — said  just 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  21 

enough  to  be  able  to  say,  in  case  of  success :  "  Ah !  I 
warned  you !  " — just  enough  not  to  dispel  the  doubt  in 
Gevrol's  mind. 

The  permission  that  he  obtained  was  his  first  tri- 
umph, and  the  best  possible  augury;  but  he  knew  how 
to  dissimulate,  and  it  was  in  a  tone  of  the  utmost  in- 
difference that  he  requested  one  of  his  comrades  to  re- 
main with  him. 

Then,  while  the  others  were  making  ready  to  depart, 
he  seated  himself  upon  a  corner  of  the  table,  apparently 
oblivious  of  all  that  was  passing.  He  did  not  dare  to 
lift  his  head,  for  fear  of  betraying  his  joy,  so  much  did 
he  fear  that  his  companions  would  read  his  hopes  and 
his  plans  in  his  face. 

Inwardly  he  was  wild  with  impatience.  Though  the 
murderer  submitted  with  good  grace  to  the  precau- 
tions that  were  taken  to  prevent  his  escape,  it  required 
some  time  to  bind  the  hands  of  the  Widow  Chupin, 
who  fought  and  howled  as  if  they  were  burning  her 
alive. 

"  They  will  never  go!  "  Lecoq  said  to  himself. 

They  did  so  at  last,  however.  Gevrol  gave  the  order 
to  depart,  and  left  the  house,  after  addressing  a  laugh- 
ing good-by  to  his  subordinate. 

The  latter  made  no  reply.  He  followed  them  to  the 
threshold  of  the  door,  as  if  to  assure  himself  that  the 
squad  had  really  gone. 

He  trembled  at  the  thought  that  Gevrol  might  re- 
flect, change  his  mind,  and  return  to  solve  the  mystery, 
as  was  his  right. 

His  anxiety  was  needless.  The  forms  of  the  men 
faded  in  the  distance,  the  cries  of  Widow  Chupin  died 
away  in  the  stillness  of  the  night.  They  had  all  disap- 
peared. 


22  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Not  until  then  did  Lecoq  re-enter  the  room.  He 
could  no  longer  conceal  his  delight;  his  eyes  sparkled 
like  a  conqueror  taking  possession  of  an  empire;  he 
stamped  his  foot  upon  the  floor  and  exclaimed : 

"  Now  it  belongs  to  us  two!  " 


CHAPTER  III 

Authorized  by  Gevrol  to  choose  one  of  his  comrades 
to  remain  with  him  in  Poivriere,  Lecoq  had  requested 
the  one  who  was  considered  the  least  intelligent  of  the 
party  to  keep  him  company. 

He  was  not  influenced  by  a  fear  of  being  obliged  to 
share  the  fruits  of  success  with  his  companion,  but  by 
the  necessity  of  having  an  assistant  of  whom  he  could, 
in  case  of  need,  exact  obedience.  The  comrade  Lecoq 
selected  was  a  man  of  about  fifty,  who,  after  a  term  in 
the  cavalry  service,  had  entered  the  prefecture. 

In  the  humble  office  that  he  occupied  he  had  seen 
prefet  succeed  prefct,  and  had  probably  filled  a  prison 
with  culprits  whom  he  had  arrested  with  his  own  hands. 

He  was  no  more  shrewd  and  no  more  zealous  now 
than  he  had  always  been.  When  he  received  an  order 
he  executed  it  with  military  exactitude,  so  far  as  he 
understood  it. 

If  he  had  failed  to  understand  it,  so  much  the  worse. 

He  discharged  his  duties  like  a  blind  man,  like  an  old 
horse  trained  for  a  riding-school. 

When  he  had  a  moment's  leisure,  and  any  money, 
he  got  drunk. 

He  spent  his  life  between  two  fits  of  intoxication, 
without  ever  rising  above  a  condition  of  demi-lucidity. 

His  comrades  had  known,  but  had  forgotten  his 
name.  Everyone  now  called  him  Father  Absinthe. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  23 

Naturally  he  did  not  observe  the  enthusiasm  nor  the 
tone  of  triumph  in  his  young  companion's  voice. 

"  Upon  my  word,"  he  remarked,  when  they  were 
alone,  "  your  idea  of  keeping  me  here  was  a  good  one, 
and  I  thank  you  for  it.  While  the  others  will  spend 
the  night  paddling  about  in  the  slush,  I  shall  get  a 
good  sleep." 

Here  he  stood,  in  a  room  that  was  splashed  with 
blood,  that  was  shuddering  with  crime,  and  face  to  face 
with  the  still  warm  bodies  of  the  murdered  men  he 
could  talk  of  sleep! 

But  what  did  all  this  matter  to  him?  He  had  seen 
so  many  similar  scenes  in  his  life.  And  does  not  habit 
infallibly  lead  to  professional  indifference — that  strange 
phenomenon  that  makes  the  soldier  cool  and  com- 
posed in  the  midst  of  conflict,  that  gives  the  surgeon 
impassibility  when  the  patient  shrieks  and  writhes  be- 
neath his  operating  knife. 

"  I  have  been  upstairs,  looking  about,"  pursued 
Father  Absinthe ;  "  I  saw  a  bed  up  there,  and  we  can 
mount  guard  here,  by  turns." 

With  an  imperious  gesture,  Lecoq  interrupted  him. 

"  You  must  give  up  that  idea,  Father  Absinthe;  we 
are  not  here  to  sleep,  but  to  collect  information — to 
make  the  most  careful  researches,  to  note  all  the  prob- 
abilities. In  a  few  hours  the  commissioner  of  police, 
the  physician  and  the  coroner  will  be  here.  I  wish  to 
have  a  report  ready  for  them." 

This  proposition  seemed  anything  but  pleasing  to 
the  old  policeman. 

"  Eh!  what  is  the  use  of  that?  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I 
know  the  general.  When  he  goes  in  search  of  the 
commissioner,  as  he  has  this  evening,  there  is  nothing 


*4  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

more  to  be  done.     Do  you  think  that  you  see  anything 
that  he  did  not  see?  " 

"  I  think  that  Gevrol,  like  everyone  else,  is  liable  to 
be  mistaken.  I  think  that  he  believes  too  implicitly  in 
what  seems  to  him  evidence.  I  could  swear  that  this 
affair  is  not  what  it  seems  to  be ;  and  I  am  sure  that  we 
can,  if  we  will,  discover  the  mystery  which  is  concealed 
by  appearances." 

Though  the  vehemence  of  the  young  officer  was  in- 
tense, he  did  not  succeed  in  making  any  impression 
upon  his  companion,  who,  with  a  yawn  that  threatened 
to  dislocate  his  jaws,  replied: 

"  Perhaps  you  are  right;  but  I  am  going  to  bed. 
This  need  not  prevent  you  from  searching  around, 
however;  and  if  you  find  anything  you  can  wake  me." 

Lecoq  made  no  sign  of  impatience;  nor  in  reality  was 
he  impatient.  It  afforded  him  the  opportunity  for 
which  he  was  longing. 

"  You  will  give  me  a  moment  first,"  he  remarked. 
"  In  five  minutes,  by  your  watch,  I  will  promise  to  let 
you  put  your  finger  on  the  mystery  that  I  suspect  here." 

"  Well,  go  on  for  five  minutes." 

"After  that  you  shall  be  free,  Father  Absinthe. 
Only  it  is  clear  that  if  I  work  it  out  alone,  I  alone  shall 
pocket  the  reward  that  a  solution  of  the  mystery  will 
certainly  bring." 

At  the  word  "  reward  "  the  old  policeman  pricked  up 
his  ears.  He  was  dazzled  by  the  vision  of  an  infinite 
number  of  bottles  of  the  greenish  liquor  whose  name 
he  bore. 

"  Convince  me,  then,"  said  he,  taking  a  seat  upon  a 
stool,  which  he  had  lifted  from  the  floor. 

Lecoq  remained  standing  in  front  of  him. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  25 

"  To  begin  with,"  he  remarked,  "  whom  do  you  sup- 
pose the  person  we  have  just  arrested  to  be?  " 

"  A  porter,  probably,  or  a  vagabond." 

"  That  is  to  say,  a  man  belonging  to  the  lowest  order 
of  society;  consequently,  a  man  without  education." 

"  Certainly." 

Lecoq  spoke  with  his  eyes  fixed  upon  the  eyes  of 
his  companion.  He  distrusted  his  own  powers,  as  is 
usual  with  persons  of  real  merit,  and  he  felt  that  if  he 
could  succeed  in  making  his  convictions  penetrate  the 
obtuse  mind  of  his  companion,  it  would  prove  the  jus- 
tice of  these  convictions. 

"  And  now,"  he  continued,  "  what  would  you  say  if 
I  should  prove  to  you  that  this  young  man  had  received 
an  excellent,  even  refined  education?  " 

"  I  should  reply  that  it  was  very  extraordinary.  I 
should  reply  that — but  what  a  fool  I  am!  You  have 
not  proved  it  to  me  yet." 

"  But  I  can  do  so  very  easily.  Do  you  remember 
the  words  that  he  uttered  as  he  fell?  " 

"Yes,  I  remember  them  perfectly.  He  said:  'It 
is  the  Prussians  who  are  coming.'  " 

"  What  do  you  suppose  he  meant  by  that?  " 

"What  a  question!  I  should  suppose  that  he  did 
not  like  Prussians,  and  that  he  supposed  he  was  offer- 
ing us  a  terrible  insult." 

Lecoq  was  waiting  anxiously  for  this  response. 

"  Ah,  well !  Father  Absinthe,"  he  said,  gravely,  "  you 
are  wrong,  quite  wrong.  And  that  this  man  has  an 
education  superior  to  his  apparent  position  is  proved 
by  the  fact  that  you  did  not  understand  his  meaning, 
nor  his  intention.  It  was  this  single  phrase  that  made 
the  case  clear  to  me." 

The  physiognomy  of  Father  Absinthe  expressed  the 


26  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

strange  and  comical  perplexity  of  a  man  who  is  so  thor- 
oughly mystified  that  he  knows  not  whether  to  laugh 
or  to  be  angry.  After  reflecting  a  little,  he  decided  to 
be  angry. 

"  You  are  rather  too  young  to  impose  upon  an 
old  man  like  me,"  he  remarked.  "  I  do  not  like  boast- 
ers  " 

"  One  moment!  "  interrupted  Lecoq;  "  allow  me  to 
explain.  You  have  certainly  heard  of  a  terrible  battle 
which  resulted  in  one  of  the  greatest  defeats  that  ever 
happened  to  France — the  battle  of  Waterloo?  " 

"  I  do  not  see  the  connection " 

"  Answer,  if  you  please." 

"Yes— then!" 

"  Very  well ;  you  must  know,  then,  papa,  that  for 
some  time  victory  perched  upon  the  banners  of  France. 
The  English  began  to  fall  back,  and  already  the  em- 
peror exclaimed:  'We  have  them!'  when  suddenly 
on  the  right  a  little  in  the  rear,  troops  were  seen  advanc- 
ing. It  was  the  Prussian  army.  The  battle  of  Water- 
loo was  lost." 

In  all  his  life,  worthy  Father  Absinthe  had  never 
made  such  strenuous  efforts  to  understand  anything. 
In  this  case  they  were  not  wholly  useless,  for  he  half 
rose  in  his  chair,  and  with  the  tone  in  which  Archi- 
medes cried  "  I  have  found  it!  "  he  exclaimed: 

"  I  understand.  The  man's  words  were  only  an  al- 
lusion." 

"  It  is  as  you  have  said,"  remarked  Lecoq,  approv- 
ingly. "  But  I  had  not  finished.  If  the  emperor  was 
thrown  into  consternation  by  the  appearance  of  the 
Prussians,  it  was  because  he  was  momentarily  expect- 
ing the  arrival  of  one  of  his  own  generals  from  the  same 
direction — Grouchy — with  thirty-five,  thousand  men. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  27 

So  if  this  man's  allusion  was  exact  and  complete,  he 
was  not  expecting  an  enemy,  but  a  friend.  Now  draw 
your  own  conclusions." 

Amazed,  but  convinced,  his  companion  opened  to 
their  widest  extent  the  eyes  that  had  been  heavy  with 
sleep  a  few  moments  before. 

"  Mon  Dieu! "  he  murmured,  "  if  you  put  it  in  that 
way!  But  I  forget;  you  must  have  seen  something,  as 
you  were  looking  through  the  cracks  of  the  shutter." 

The  young  man  shook  his  head. 

"  Upon  my  honor,"  he  declared,  "  I  saw  nothing 
save  the  struggle  between  the  murderer  and  the  poor 
devil  in  the  garb  of  a  soldier.  It  was  that  sentence 
alone  that  aroused  my  attention." 

"  Wonderful !  prodigious !  "  exclaimed  the  astonished 
old  man. 

"  I  will  add  that  reflection  has  confirmed  my  suspi- 
cions. I  asked  myself  why  this  man,  instead  of  fleeing, 
should  have  waited  and  remained  there,  at  that  door, 
to  parley  with  us." 

With  a  bound,  Father  Absinthe  was  upon  his  feet. 

"Why?"  he  interrupted;  "because  he  had  accom- 
plices, and  he  wished  to  give  them  time  to  escape.  Ah ! 
I  understand  it  all  now." 

A  triumphant  smile  parted  Lecoq's  lips. 

"  That  is  what  I  said  to  myself,"  he  replied ;  "  and 
now  it  is  easy  to  verify  my  suspicions.  There  is  snow 
outside,  is  there  not?  " 

It  was  not  necessary  to  say  any  more.  The  elder 
officer  seized  the  light,  and  followed  by  his  compan- 
ion, he  hastened  to  the  back  door  of  the  house,  which 
opened  into  a  small  garden. 

In  this  sheltered  enclosure  the  snow  had  not  melted, 


28  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

and  upon  its  white  surface  numerous  footprints  lay,  like 
dark  stains. 

Without  hesitation,  Lecoq  threw  himself  upon  his 
knees  in  the  snow,  in  order  to  examine  them;  he  rose 
again  almost  immediately. 

"  These  indentations  were  not  made  by  the  feet  of 
men,"  said  he.  "  There  have  been  women  here." 


CHAPTER  IV 

Obstinate  men  of  Father  Absinthe's  stamp,  who  are 
always  inclined  to  differ  with  the  opinions  of  others, 
are  the  very  people  who  end  in  madly  adopting  them. 

When  an  idea  has  at  last  penetrated  their  empty 
brains,  they  install  it  there  magisterially,  and  dwell  upon 
it,  and  develop  it  until  it  exceeds  the  bounds  of  reason. 

Hence  the  veteran  of  the  service  was  now  much  more 
strongly  convinced  than  his  companion,  that  the  usual- 
ly clever  Gevrol  was  mistaken,  and  he  laughed  him  to 
scorn. 

On  hearing  Lecoq  affirm  that  women  had  taken  part 
in  the  horrible  scene  at  the  Poivriere,  his  joy  was  ex- 
treme. 

"  A  fine  affair !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  an  excellent  case  !  " 

And  suddenly  recollecting  a  maxim  that  has  been 
handed  down  from  the  time  of  Cicero,  he  added,  in  sen- 
tentious tones: 

"Who  holds  the  woman  holds  the  cause!  " 

Lecoq  did  not  deign  to  reply.  He  was  standing 
upon  the  threshold,  leaning  against  the  casing  of  the 
door,  his  hand  pressed  to  his  forehead,  as  motionless 
as  a  statue. 

The  discovery  which  he  had  just  made,  and  which 
so  delighted  Father  Absinthe,  filled  him  with  conster- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  29 

nation.  It  was  the  death  of  his  hopes,  the  annihilation 
of  the  ingenious  structure  which  his  imagination  had 
built  upon  the  foundation  of  a  single  sentence.  There 
was  no  longer  any  mystery.  No  celebrity  to  be  gained 
by  a  brilliant  stroke! 

For  the  presence  of  two  women  in  this  vile  den  ex- 
plained everything  in  the  most  natural  and  common- 
place fashion. 

Their  presence  explained  the  quarrel,  the  testimony 
of  Widow  Chupin,  the  dying  declaration  of  the  pre- 
tended soldier. 

The  behavior  of  the  murderer  was  also  explained. 
He  had  remained  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  two 
women;  he  had  sacrificed  himself  in  order  to  save  them, 
an  act  of  that  chivalrous  gallantry  so  common  in  the 
French  character,  that  even  the  scoundrels  of  the  bar- 
rieres  were  not  entirely  destitute  of  it. 

But  the  strange  allusion  to  the  battle  of  Waterloo 
remained  unexplained.  But  what  did  that  prove  now? 
Nothing,  simply  nothing.  And  who  could  say  how 
low  an  unworthy  passion  might  cause  a  man  even  of 
birth  and  breeding  to  descend?  And  the  carnival 
afforded  an  opportunity  for  the  parties  to  disguise 
themselves. 

But  while  Lecoq  was  turning  and  twisting  all  these 
probabilities  in  his  mind,  Father  Absinthe  became  im- 
patient. 

"  Are  we  going  to  remain  here  until  doomsday?  "  he 
asked.  "  Are  we  to  pause  just  at  the  moment  when 
our  search  has  been  productive  of  such  brilliant  re- 
sults?" 

"  Brilliant  results !  "  These  words  stung  the  young 
man's  soul  as  deeply  as  the  keenest  irony  could  have 
done. 


30  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Leave  me  alone,"  he  replied,  gruffly;  "  and,  above 
all,  do  not  walk  about  the  garden.  You  will  spoil  the 
footprints." 

His  companion  swore  a  little;  then  he,  too,  became 
silent.  He  submitted  to  the  irresistible  ascendancy  of 
a  superior  will  and  intelligence. 

'  Lecoq  was  engaged  in  following  out  his  course  of 
reasoning. 

"  These  are  probably  the  events  as  they  occurred,"  he 
thought. 

"  The  murderer,  leaving  the  ball  at  the  Rainbow, 
a  public  house  not  far  from  here,  near  the  fortifications, 
came  to  this  saloon,  accompanied  by  two  women.  He 
found  three  men  drinking  here,  who  either  began  teas- 
ing him,  or  who  displayed  too  much  gallantry  to  his 
companions.  He  became  angry.  The  others  threat- 
ened him;  he  was  one  against  three;  he  was  armed;  he 
became  wild  with  rage  and  fired " 

He  checked  himself,  and  in  an  instant  after  he  added, 
aloud : 

"  But  was  it  the  murderer  who  brought  these  women 
here?  If  he  is  tried,  this  will  be  the  important  point. 
It  is  necessary  to  obtain  information  on  the  subject." 

He  immediately  went  back  into  the  house,  closely 
followed  by  his  colleague,  and  began  an  examination 
of  the  footprints  about  the  door  that  Gevrol  had  forced 
open. 

Labor  lost.  There  was  but  little  snow  on  the  ground 
about  the  entrance  of  the  hovel,  and  so  many  persons 
had  passed  in  and  out  that  Lecoq  could  discover  noth- 
ing. 

What  a  disappointment  after  his  patient  hopes! 

Lecoq  could  have  cried  with  rage.  He  saw  the  op- 
portunity for  which  he  had  sighed  so  long  indefinitely 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  31 

postponed.  He  fancied  he  could  hear  Gevrol's  coarse 
sarcasms. 

"  Enough  of  this,"  he  murmured,  under  his  breath. 
"  The  general  was  right,  and  I  am  a  fool!  " 

He  was  so  positively  convinced  that  one  could  do  no 
more  than  discover  the  circumstances  of  some  com- 
monplace, vulgar  broil,  that  he  began  to  wonder  if  it 
would  not  be  wise  to  renounce  his  search  and  take  a 
nap,  while  awaiting  the  coming  of  the  commissioner  of 
police. 

But  Father  Absinthe  was  no  longer  of  this  opinion. 

This  worthy  man,  who  was  far  from  suspecting  the 
reflections  in  which  his  companion  was  indulging, 
could  not  explain  his  inaction. 

"Ah,  well!  my  boy,"  said  he,  "  have  you  lost  your 
wits?  This  is  losing  time,  it  seems  to  me.  The  justice 
will  arrive  in  a  few  hours,  and  what  report  shall  we 
present?  As  for  me,  if  you  desire  to  go  to  sleep,  I  shall 
pursue  my  investigations  alone." 

Disappointed  as  he  was,  the  young  police  officer 
could  not  repress  a  smile.  He  recognized  his  own  ex- 
hortations of  a  few  moments  before.  It  was  the  old 
man  who  had  suddenly  become  intrepid. 

"  To  work,  then!  "  he  sighed,  like  a  man  who,  while 
foreseeing  defeat,  wishes,  at  least,  to  have  no  cause  to 
reproach  himself. 

He  found  it,  however,  extremely  difficult  to  follow 
the  footprints  in  the  open  air  by  the  uncertain  light  of 
a  candle,  which  was  extinguished  by  the  least  breath  of 
wind. 

"  It  is  impossible,"  said  Lecoq ;  "  I  wonder  if  there 
is  not  a  lantern  in  the  house.  If  we  could  only  lay  our 
hands  upon  it! " 

They  searched  everywhere,  and,  at  last,  upstairs  in 


3*  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

the  Widow  Chupin's  own  apartment,  they  found  a  well- 
trimmed  lantern,  so  small  and  close  that  it  certainly 
had  never  been  intended  for  honest  purposes. 

"  A  regular  burglar's  implement,"  said  Father  Ab- 
sinthe, with  a  coarse  laugh. 

The  implement  was  useful  in  any  case;  the  two  men 
were  agreed  upon  that  when  they  returned  to  the  gar- 
den and  recommenced  their  investigations  systemati- 
cally. 

They  advanced  very  slowly  and  with  extreme  cau- 
tion. The  old  man  carefully  held  the  lantern  in  the 
best  position,  and  Lecoq,  on  his  knees,  studied  each 
footprint  with  the  attention  of  a  chiromancer  striving 
to  read  the  future  in  the  hand  of  a  rich  client. 

A  new  examination  assured  Lecoq  that  he  had  been 
correct  in  his  first  supposition.  It  was  plain  that  two 
women  had  quitted  the  Poivriere  by  this  door.  They 
had  departed  running;  this  was  proved  by  the  length 
of  the  steps  and  also  by  the  shape  of  the  footprints. 

The  difference  in  the  tracks  left  by  the  two  fugitives 
was  so  remarkable,  that  it  did  not  escape  Father  Ab- 
sinthe's eyes. 

"Cristi!"  he  muttered;  "one  of  these  jades  can 
boast  of  having  a  pretty  foot  at  the  end  of  her  leg!  " 

He  was  right.  One  of  the  tracks  betrayed  a  small, 
coquettish  and  slender  foot,  clad  in  an  elegant  high- 
heeled  boot  with  a  narrow  sole  and  an  arched  instep. 

The  other  denoted  a  broad,  short  foot,  that  grew 
wider  toward  the  end,  and  which  was  encased  in  a 
strong,  low  shoe. 

This  was  indeed  a  clew.  Lecoq's  hopes  revived;  so 
eagerly  does  a  man  welcome  any  supposition  that  is  in 
accordance  with  his  desires. 

Trembling  writh  anxiety,  he  went  to  examine  other 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  33 

footprints  a  short  distance  from  these;  and  an  excited 
exclamation  broke  from  his  lips. 

"What  is  it?"  eagerly  inquired  the  other  agent; 
"  what  do  you  see?  " 

"  Come  and  look  for  yourself,  papa;  see  there." 

The  good  man  bent  down,  and  his  surprise  was  so 
great  that  he  almost  dropped  the  lantern. 

"Oh!"  said  he,  in  a  stifled  voice,  "a  man's  foot- 
print!" 

"  Exactly.  And  this  fellow  wore  the  finest  of  boots. 
See  that  imprint,  how  clear,  how  neat  it  is !  " 

Worthy  Father  Absinthe  was  furiously  scratching 
his  ear,  his  usual  method  of  quickening  his  rather  slow 
wits. 

"  But  it  seems  to  me,"  he  ventured  at  last,  "  that  this 
individual  was  not  coming  from  this  ill-fated  hovel." 

"  Of  course  not;  the  direction  of  the  foot  tells  you 
that.  No,  he  was  not  going  from  here,  he  was  coming 
here.  But  he  did  not  pass  beyond  the  spot  where  we 
are  now  standing.  He  was  advancing  on  tip-toe  with 
outstretched  neck  and  listening  ears,  when,  on  reaching 
this  spot,  he  heard  some  noise;  fear  seized  him,  and 
he  fled." 

"  Or,  rather,  the  women  were  going  out  as  he  was 
coming,  and 

"  No,  the  women  were  outside  the  garden  when  he 
entered  it." 

This  assertion  seemed  far  too  audacious  to  suit  Le- 
coq's  companion,  who  remarked:  "One  cannot  be 
sure  of  that." 

"  I  am  sure  of  it,  however;  and  can  prove  it  conclu- 
sively. You  doubt  it,  papa?  It  is  because  your  eyes 
are  growing  old.  Bring  your  lantern  a  little  nearer — 
yes,  here  it  is — our  man  placed  his  large  foot  upon  one 


34  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

of  the  marks  made  by  the  woman  with  the  small  foot 
and  has  almost  effaced  it." 

This  unexceptionable  bit  of  circumstantial  evidence 
stupefied  the  old  policeman. 

"  Now,"  continued  Lecoq,  "  could  this  man  have 
been  the  accomplice  whom  the  murderer  was  expect- 
ing? Might  it  not  have  been  some  strolling  vagrant 
whose  attention  was  attracted  by  the  two  pistol  shots? 
This  is  what  we  must  ascertain.  And  we  will  ascertain 
it.  Come!" 

A  wooden  fence  of  lattice-work,  a  trifle  more  than 
three  feet  high,  similar  to  that  which  prevents  access 
to  the  railway  trains,  was  all  that  separated  the  Widow 
Chupin's  garden  from  the  waste  land  that  surrounded 
it. 

When  Lecoq  made  the  circuit  of  the  house  to  cut  off 
the  escape  of  the  murderer,  he  had  encountered  this 
obstacle,  and,  fearing  lest  he  should  arrive  too  late,  he 
had  leaped  the  barrier,  to  the  great  detriment  of  his 
pantaloons,  without  even  asking  if  there  were  not  a 
gateway. 

One  did  exist,  however.  A  light  gate  of  lattice-work 
similar  to  the  fence,  turning  upon  iron  hinges  and  kept 
closed  by  a  wooden  button,  allowed  one  to  enter  or  de- 
part from  this  side  of  the  garden. 

It  was  straight  to  this  gate  that  these  footprints  in 
the  snow  led  the  two  policemen. 

Some  new  thought  must  have  struck  the  younger 
man,  for  he  paused  suddenly. 

"Ah!"  he  murmured,  "these  two  women  did  not 
come  to  Poivriere  this  evening  for  the  first  time." 

"  Why  do  you  think  that,  my  boy?  "  inquired  Father 
Absinthe. 

"  I  could  almost  swear  it.     How,  unless  they  were 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  35 

in  the  habit  of  coming  to  this  den,  could  they  have  been 
aware  of  the  existence  of  this  gate?  Could  they  have 
discovered  it  this  dark  and  foggy  night?  No;  for  I, 
who  can,  without  boasting,  say  that  I  have  good  eyes — 
I  did  not  see  it." 

"  Ah !  yes,  that  is  true !  " 

"  These  two  women,  however,  came  here  without 
hesitating,  without  diverging  from  a  straight  line;  and 
note  that  to  do  this,  it  was  necessary  for  them  to  cross 
the  garden  diagonally." 

The  veteran  would  have  given  something  if  he  could 
have  found  some  objection  to  offer;  but  unfortunately 
he  could  find  none. 

"  Upon  my  word!  "  he  exclaimed,  "  yours  is  a  droll 
way  of  proceeding.  You  are  only  a  conscript;  I  am 
a  veteran  in  the  service,  and  have  assisted  in  more 
affairs  of  this  sort  than  you  are  years  old,  but  never 
have  I  seen " 

"Nonsense!"  interrupted  Lecoq;  "you  will  see 
much  more.  For  example,  I  can  prove  to  you  that, 
although  the  women  knew  the  exact  position  of  the 
gate,  the  man  knew  it  only  by  hearsay." 

"The  proof!" 

"  The  fact  is  easily  demonstrated,  papa.  Study  the 
man's  footprints,  and  you,  who  are  very  sharp,  will  see 
at  once  that  he  deviated  greatly  from  the  straight 
course.  He  was  in  such  doubt,  that  he  was  obliged  to 
search  for  the  gate  with  his  hand  stretched  out  before 
him — and  his  fingers  have  left  their  imprint  on  the  thin 
covering  of  snow  that  lies  upon  the  upper  railing  of  the 
fence." 

The  old  man  would  have  been  glad  to  verify  th's 
statement  for  himself,  as  he  said;  but  Lecoq  was  in  a 
hurry. 


36  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Let  us  go  on,  let  us  go  on!  "  said  he.  "  You  can 
verify  my  assertions  some  other  time." 

They  left  the  garden  and  followed  the  footprints  that 
led  them  toward  the  outer  boulevards,  inclining  a  little 
to  the  right  in  the  direction  of  the  Rue  de  Patay. 

Now  there  was  no  longer  any  need  of  close  attention. 
No  one,  save  the  fugitive,  had  crossed  this  lonely  waste 
since  the  last  fall  of  snow.  A  child  could  have  followed 
the  track,  so  clear  and  distinct  was  it. 

Four  impressions,  very  unlike  in  character,  formed 
the  track;  two  were  those  left  by  the  women;  the  other 
two,  one  going  and  one  returning,  had  been  made  by 
the  man. 

On  several  occasions  the  latter  had  placed  his  foot 
exactly  on  the  footprints  left  by  the  two  women,  half 
effacing  them,  thus  doing  away  with  all  doubts  as  to  the 
precise  moment  in  which  he  had  come. 

About  a  hundred  yards  from  the  Poivriere,  Lecoq 
suddenly  seized  his  colleague's  arm. 

"  Halt!  "  he  commanded;  "  we  have  reached  a  good 
place;  I  can  see  unmistakable  proofs." 

The  spot  was  an  abandoned  lumber-yard,  or  rather 
a  reservation  belonging  to  a  boat-builder.  The  ground 
was  strewn  with  large  blocks  of  granite,  some  chiselled, 
some  in  the  rough,  and  with  many  long  planks  and  logs 
of  wood. 

Before  one  of  these  planks,  whose  surface  had  evi- 
dently been  wiped  off,  all  these  footprints  came  to- 
gether, mingling  confusedly. 

"  Here,"  declared  the  young  detective,  "  our  fugi- 
tives met  this  man  and  took  counsel  with  him.  One  of 
the  women,  the  one  with  the  little  feet,  sat  down  upon 
this  log." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  37 

"We  should  assure  ourselves  of  this  more  fully," 
said  Father  Absinthe,  in  an  oracular  tone. 

But  his  companion  cut  short  these  desires  for  verifi- 
cation. 

"  You — my  old  friend,"  said  he,  "  are  going  to  do 
me  the  kindness  to  keep  perfectly  still;  pass  me  the  lan- 
tern and  do  not  move." 

Lecoq's  modest  tone  had  suddenly  become  so  impe- 
rious that  his  colleague  dared  offer  no  resistance. 

Like  a  soldier  at  the  command  to  halt,  he  remained 
erect,  motionless  and  mute,  following  the  movements 
of  his  friend  with  a  curious  and  wondering  eye. 

Quick  in  his  motions,  and  understanding  how  to 
manoeuvre  the  lantern  in  accordance  with  his  wishes, 
the  young  policeman  explored  the  surroundings  in  a 
very  short  space  of  time. 

A  bloodhound  in  pursuit  of  his  prey  would  have 
been  less  alert,  less  discerning,  less  agile  than  he. 

He  came  and  went,  turned,  came  back  again,  hurried 
on,  or  paused  without  any  apparent  reason;  he  scruti- 
nized, he  questioned  everything;  the  earth,  the  logs  of 
wood,  the  blocks  of  stone,  and  even  the  most  insignifi- 
cant objects;  sometimes  standing,  but  oftener  on  his 
knees,  sometimes  flat  upon  his  belly,  his  face  so  near 
the  ground  that  his  breath  must  have  melted  the  snow. 

He  had  drawn  a  tape-line  from  his  pocket:  he  used 
it  with  a  carpenter's  dexterity,  and  measured,  meas- 
ured, measured. 

And  all  these  movements  were  accompanied  with 
the  wild  gestures  of  a  madman,  interspersed  with  oaths 
or  short  laughs,  with  exclamations  of  disappointment 
or  of  delight. 

After  a  quarter  of  an  hour  of  this  strange  exercise, 
he  returned  to  Father  Absinthe,  placed  the  lantern  on 


38  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

a  stone,  wiped  his  hands  on  his  pocket-handkerchief, 
and  said: 

"  Now  I  know  all." 

"  Well,  that  is  saying  a  great  deal !  " 

"  When  I  say  all,  I  mean  all  that  is  connected  with 
this  episode  of  the  drama  which  ended  in  blood  in  that 
hovel  there.  This  expanse  of  earth,  covered  with  snow, 
is  an  immense  white  page  upon  which  the  people  we 
are  in  search  of  have  written,  not  only  their  movements 
and  their  goings  and  comings,  but  their  secret  thoughts, 
the  hopes  and  anxieties  that  agitated  them.  What  do 
these  footprints  say  to  you,  papa?  To  me  they  are  as 
much  alive  as  the  persons  who  made  them;  they 
breathe,  they  speak,  they  accuse!  " 

The  old  officer  was  saying  to  himself: 

"  Certainly,  this  fellow  is  intelligent;  undeniably,  he 
is  shrewd;  but  he  is  very  disagreeable." 

"  These,"  pursued  Lecoq,  "  are  the  facts  as  I  have 
read  them.  When  the  murderer  repaired  to  the  Poiv- 
riere  with  the  two  women,  his  companion — I  should 
call  him  his  accomplice — came  here  to  wait.  He  was 
a  man  of  middle  age  and  tall,  wore  a  soft  hat  and  a 
shaggy  brown  overcoat,  was  probably  married,  as  he 
had  a  wedding-ring  on  the  little  finger  of  his  right 
hand " 

The  despairing  gestures  of  his  companion  obliged 
the  speaker  to  pause. 

This  description  of  a  person  whose  existence  had 
but  just  now  been  demonstrated,  these  precise  details 
given  in  a  tone  of  absolute  certainty,  overturned  all  of 
Father  Absinthe's  ideas  completely,  and  increased  his 
perplexity. 

"This  is  not  well,"  he  growled;  "this  is  not  kind. 
You  are  poking  fun  at  me.  I  take  the  thing  seriously; 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  39 

I  listen  to  you,  I  obey  you  in  everything,  and  this  is 
the  way  you  mock  me.  We  find  a  clew,  and  instead  of 
following  it  up,  you  stop  to  relate  all  these  absurd 
stories." 

"  No,"  replied  his  companion,  "  I  am  not  jesting, 
and  I  have  told  you  nothing  of  which  I  am  not  abso- 
lutely sure  nothing  is  not  strictly  and  indisputably 
true." 

"  And  you  would  have  me  believe " 

"  Fear  nothing,  papa ;  I  would  not  have  you  do  vio- 
lence to  your  convictions.  When  I  have  told  you  my 
reasons,  and  my  means  of  information,  you  will  laugh 
at  the  simplicity  of  the  theory  that, seems  so  incompre- 
hensible to  you  now." 

"  Go  on,  then,"  said  the  good  man,  in  a  tone  of  resig- 
nation. 

"  We  had  decided,  my  friend,  that  the  'accomplice 
mounted  guard  here.  The  time  seemed  long,  and  in 
order  to  relieve  his  impatience,  he  paced  to  and  fro  the 
length  of  this  log  of  wood,  and  occasionally  paused  in 
his  monotonous  promenade  to  listen.  Hearing  noth- 
ing, he  stamped  his  foot,  doubtless  exclaiming:  '  What 
the  devil  has  happened  to  him  down  there ! '  He  had 
made  about  thirty  turns  (I  have  counted  them),  when 
a  sound  broke  the  stillness — the  two  women  were  com- 
ing." 

On  hearing  Lecoq's  recital,  all  the  conflicting  senti- 
ments that  are  awakened  in  a  child's  mind  by  a  fairy 
tale — doubt,  faith,  anxiety,  and  hope — filled  Father 
Absinthe's  heart. 

What  should  he  believe?  what  should  he  refuse  to 
believe?  He  did  not  know.  How  was  he  to  tell  the 
true  from  the  false  among  all  these  equally  surprising 
assertions? 


4o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

On  the  other  hand,  the  gravity  of  his  companion, 
which  certainly  was  not  feigned,  dismissed  all  idea  of 
pleasantry. 

Then  curiosity  began  to  torture  him. 

"  We  had  reached  the  point  where  the  women  made 
their  appearance,"  said  he. 

"  Mon  Dieu !  yes,"  responded  Lecoq ;  "  but  here  all 
certainty  ceases;  no  more  proofs,  only  suppositions. 
Still,  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  our  fugitives 
left  the  drinking  saloon  before  the  beginning  of  the 
fight,  before  the  cries  that  attracted  our  attention. 
Who  were  they?  I  can  only  conjecture.  I  suspect, 
however,  that  they  were  not  equals  in  rank.  I  am  in- 
clined to  think  that  one  was  the  mistress,  the  other  her 
servant." 

"  That  is  proved,"  ventured  the  older  man,  "  by  the 
great  difference  in  their  feet  and  in  their  shoes." 

This  shrewd  observation  elicited  a  smile  from  the 
young  man  in  spite  of  his  abstraction. 

"  This  difference,"  he  replied,  seriously,  "  is  some- 
thing; but  it  was  not  that  which  decided  me  in  my  opin- 
ion. If  greater  or  less  perfection  of  the  extremities 
regulated  social  distinctions,  many  mistresses  would  be 
servants.  What  struck  me  was  this: 

"  When  the  two  women  rushed  wildly  from  Mother 
Chupin's  house,  the  woman  with  the  small  feet  sprang 
across  the  garden  with  one  bound,  she  darted  on  some 
distance  in  advance  of  the  other.  The  horror  of  the 
situation,  the  vileness  of  the  den,  the  horror  of  the  scan- 
dal, the  thought  of  a  place  of  safety,  inspired  her  with 
marvellous  energy. 

"  But  her  strength,  as  often  happens  with  delicate 
and  nervous  women,  lasted  only  a  few  seconds.  She 
was  not  half  way  from  here  to  the  Poivriere  when  her 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  41 

speed  relaxed,  her  limbs  trembled.  Ten  steps  farther 
on  she  tottered  and  almost  fell.  Some  steps  farther, 
and  she  became  so  exhausted  that  she  let  go  her  hold 
upon  her  skirts;  they  trailed  upon  the  snow,  tracing  a 
faint  circle  there. 

"  Then  the  woman  with  the  broad  foot  came 
to  her  aid.  She  seized  her  companion  around  the 
waist;  she  dragged  her  along;  their  footprints  here  are 
mingled  confusedly;  then  seeing  that  her  friend  was 
about  to  fall,  she  caught  her  up  in  her  strong  arms  and 
carried  her — and  the  footprints  made  by  the  woman 
with  the  small  feet  cease." 

Was  Lecoq  merely  amusing  himself  by  inventing 
this  story?  Was  this  scene  anything  but  a  work  of  the 
imagination? 

Was  this  accent  of  deep  and  sincere  conviction  which 
he  imparted  to  his  words  only  feigned? 

Father  Absinthe  was  still  in  doubt,  but  he  thought  of 
a  way  in  which  he  might  satisfy  his  uncertainty. 

He  caught  up  the  lantern  and  hurried  off  to  examine 
these  footprints  which  he  had  not  known  how  to  readf 
which  had  been  speechless  to  him,  but  which  had  yield- 
ed their  secret  to  another. 

He  was  obliged  to  agree  with  his  companion.  All 
that  Lecoq  had  described  was  written  there;  he  saw 
the  confused  footprints,  the  circle  made  by  the  sweep- 
ing skirts,  the  cessation  of  the  tiny  imprints. 

On  his  return,  his  countenace  betrayed  a  respectful 
and  astonished  admiration,  and  it  was  with  a  shade  of 
embarrassment  that  he  said: 

"  You  can  scarcely  blame  an  old  man  for  being  a  lit- 
tle like  St.  Thomas.  I  have  touched  it  with  my  fingers, 
and  now  I  am  content  to  follow  you." 


42  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  young  policeman  could  not,  indeed,  blame  his 
colleague  for  his  incredulity. 

"  Then,"  Lecoq  continued,  "  the  accomplice,  who 
had  heard  the  fugitives  coming,  ran  to  meet  them,  and 
he  aided  the  woman  with  the  large  feet  in  carrying  her 
companion.  The  latter  must  have  been  really  ill,  for 
the  accomplice  took  off  his  hat  and  used  it  in  brushing 
the  snow  from  this  plank.  Then,  thinking  the  surface 
was  not  yet  dry  enough,  he  wiped  it  with  the  skirt  of 
his  overcoat.  Were  these  civilities  pure  gallantry,  or 
the  usual  attentions  of  an  inferior?  I  have  asked  my- 
self that  question. 

"This  much,  however,  is  certain:  while  the  woman 
with  the  small  feet  was  recovering  her  strength,  half 
reclining  upon  this  board,  the  other  took  the  accom- 
plice a  little  to  one  side,  five  or  six  steps  away  to  the 
left,  just  by  that  enormous  block  of  granite. 

"  There  she  talked  with  him,  and,  as  he  listened,  the 
man  leaned  upon  the  snow-covered  stone.  His  hand 
left  a  very  distinct  imprint  there.  Then,  as  the  conver- 
sation continued,  he  rested  his  elbow  upon  the  snowy 
surface." 

Like  all  men  of  limited  intelligence,  Father  Absinthe 
had  suddenly  passed  from  unreasoning  distrust  to  un- 
questioning confidence. 

Henceforth  he  would  believe  anything,  from  the 
same  reason  that  had,  at  first,  made  him  believe  noth- 
ing. 

With  no  idea  of  the  bounds  of  human  reasoning  and 
penetration,  he  saw  no  limits  to  the  conjectural  genius 
of  his  companion. 

With  perfect  faith,  therefore,  he  inquired: 

"  And  what  was  the  accomplice  saying  to  the  woman 
with  the  broad  shoes?  " 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  43 

If  Lecoq  smiled  at  this  naivete,  the  other  did  not  sus- 
pect it. 

"It  is  rather  difficult  for  me  to  answer  that  ques- 
tion," he  replied.  "  I  think,  however,  that  the  woman 
was  explaining  to  the  man  the  immensity  and  immi- 
nence of  the  danger  that  threatened  his  companion, 
and  that  they  were  trying  to  devise  some  means  to  res- 
cue him  from  it.  Perhaps  she  brought  him  orders 
given  by  the  murderer.  It  is  certain  that  she  ended 
by  beseeching  the  accomplice  to  run  to  the  Poivriere 
and  see  what  was  passing  there.  And  he  did  so,  for 
his  tracks  start  from  this  block  of  granite." 

"  And  only  to  think,"  exclaimed  the  officer,  "  that 
we  were  in  the  hovel  at  that  very  moment.  A  word 
from  Gevrol,  and  we  might  have  had  handcuffs  on  the 
whole  gang!  How  unfortunate!  " 

Lecoq  was  not  sufficiently  disinterested  to  share  his 
companion's  regret. 

On  the  contrary,  he  gave  heartfelt  thanks  for  Gev- 
rol's  blunder.  Had  it  not  been  for  that,  how  would  he 
ever  have  found  an  opportunity  of  interesting  himself 
in  an  affair  that  grew  more  and  more  mysterious,  but 
which  he  hoped  to  fathom  finally. 

"  To  conclude,"  he  resumed,  "  the  accomplice  soon 
returned,  he  had  witnessed  the  scene,  he  was  afraid,  and 
he  hastened  back.  He  feared  that  the  thought  of  ex- 
ploring the  premises  might  enter  the  minds  of  the  po- 
lice. It  was  to  the  lady  with  small  feet  that  he  ad- 
dressed himself.  He  explained  the  necessity  of  flight, 
and  told  her  that  even  a  moment's  delay  might  be  fatal. 
At  his  words,  she  summoned  all  her  energy;  she  rose, 
and  hastened,  clinging  to  the  arm  of  her  companion. 

"  Did  the  man  indicate  the  route  they  were  to  take,  or 
did  they  know  it  themselves?  This  much  is  certain; 


44  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

he  accompanied  them  some  distance,  in  order  to  watch 
over  them. 

"  But  above  the  duty  of  protecting  these  women,  he 
had  a  still  more  sacred  duty  to  perform — that  of  succor- 
ing his  accomplice,  if  possible.  He  retraced  his  steps, 
passed  here  again,  and  the  last  footprint  that  I  can  dis- 
cover leads  in  the  direction  of  the  Rue  du  Chateau- 
des-Rentiers.  He  wished  to  know  what  would  become 
of  the  murderer,  and  went  to  place  himself  in  his  path." 

Like  a  dilettante  who  can  scarcely  restrain  his  ap- 
plause until  the  close  of  the  morceau  that  delights  him, 
Father  Absinthe  had  been  unable  to  repress  his  admir- 
ation entirely. 

But  it  was  not  until  Lecoq  ceased  speaking  that  he 
gave  full  vent  to  his  enthusiasm. 

"  Here  is  a  detective !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  And  they 
say  that  Gevrol  is  shrewd!  What  has  he  ever  done  to 
compare  with  this?  Ah!  shall  I  tell  you  what  I  think? 
Very  well.  In  comparison  with  you,  the  general  is 
only  John  the  Baptist." 

Certainly  the  flattery  was  gross,  but  it  was  impossi- 
ble to  doubt  its  sincerity.  This  was  the  first  time  that 
the  balmy  dew  of  praise  had  fallen  upon  Lecoq's  vanity, 
it  delighted  him. 

"Nonsense,"  he  replied,  modestly;  "you  are  too 
kind,  papa.  After  all,  what  have  I  done  that  is  so  very 
clever?  I  told  you  that  the  man  was  of  middle  age. 
It  was  not  difficult  to  see  that  after  one  had  examined 
his  heavy  and  rather  dragging  step.  I  told  you  that 
he  was  tall — an  easy  matter.  When  I  saw  that  he  had 
been  leaning  upon  that  block  of  granite  there  to  the 
left,  I  measured  the  aforesaid  block.  It  was  sixty- 
seven  metres  in  height,  consequently  a  man  who  could 
rest  his  elbow  upon  it  must  be  at  least  six  feet  high. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  45 

The  impress  of  his  hand  proves  that  I  am  not  mistaken. 
On  seeing  that  he  had  brushed  away  the  snow  which 
covered  the  plank,  I  asked  myself  what  he  had  used ;  I 
thought  that  it  might  be  his  cap,  and  the  mark  left  b> 
the  visor  proves  that  I  was  right. 

"  Finally,  if  I  have  discovered  the  color  and  the  ma- 
terial of  his  overcoat,  it  is  only  because  when  he  wiped 
off  the  wet  board,  some  splinters  of  the  wood  tore  off 
a  few  tiny  flakes  of  brown  wool,  which  I  found,  and 
which  will  figure  in  the  trial.  But  what  does  this 
amount  to,  after  all?  Nothing.  We  have  discovered 
only  the  first  elements  of  the  affair.  We  hold  the  clew, 
however;  we  will  follow  it  to  the  end.  Onward,  then !  " 

The  old  officer  was  electrified,  and,  like  an  echo,  he 
repeated : 

"Forward!" 


CHAPTER  V 

That  night  the  vagabonds,  who  had  taken  refuge  in 
the  neighborhood  of  the  Poivriere,  slept  but  little,  and 
that  an  uneasy  slumber,  broken  by  sudden  starts,  and 
troubled  with  frightful  dreams  of  a  descent  of  the  po- 
lice upon  them. 

Awakened  by  the  report  of  the  murderer's  pistol, 
and  supposing  it  the  result  of  a  collision  between  the 
police  and  some  of  their  own  comrades,  most  of  the 
frequenters  of  the  locality  prowled  about  eagerly  lis- 
tening and  watching,  and  ready  to  take  flight  at  the 
least  sign  of  danger. 

At  first  they  could  discover  nothing  at  all  suspi- 
cious. 

But  later,  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning,  just 
as  they  were  beginning  to  feel  secure  again>  the  fog 


46  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

lifted  a  little,  and  they  witnessed  a  phenomenon  well 
calculated  to  arouse  their  anxiety. 

Upon  the  unoccupied  tract  of  land,  which  the  people 
of  that  quarter  called  "  the  plain,"  a  small  but  very 
bright  light  was  seen  describing  the  most  capricious 
evolutions. 

It  moved  here  and  there  without  any  apparent  aim, 
tracing  the  most  inexplicable  zigzags,  sometimes  sink- 
ing to  the  earth,  sometimes  rising,  sometimes  motion- 
less, and  the  next  second  flying  off  like  a  ball. 

In  spite  of  the  place  and  the  season  of  the  year,  the 
less  ignorant  among  the  vagabonds  believed  it  to  be 
the  light  of  the  ignis- fatuus,  one  of  those  luminous 
meteors  that  rise  from  the  marshes  and  float  about  in 
the  atmosphere  at  the  bidding  of  the  wind. 

This  ignis- fatuus  was  the  lantern  by  whose  light  the 
two  policemen  were  pursuing  their  investigations. 

Before  leaving  the  cabin  where  he  had  so  suddenly 
revealed  himself  to  his  first  disciple,  Lecoq  found  him- 
self involved  in  a  cruel  perplexity. 

He  had  not  the  boldness  and  promptness  of  decision 
that  is  the  gift  of  a  prosperous  past;  and  he  was  hesitat- 
ing between  two  undertakings,  which  were  equally  rea- 
sonable, and  each  of  which  offered  equally  strong  prob- 
abilities of  success. 

He  stood  there  between  two  paths,  that  made  by  the 
two  women  on  the  one  side,  that  made  by  the  accom- 
plice on  the  other. 

Which  should  he  take?  For  he  could  not  hope  to 
follow  both. 

Seated  upon  the  plank  where  the  woman  had  rested 
a  few  moments  before,  with  his  hand  pressed  upon  his 
forehead,  he  reflected;  he  weighed  his  chances. 

"  If  I  follow  the  man  I  shall  learn  nothing  that  I  do 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  47 

not  know  already.  He  has  gone  to  hover  round  the 
party;  he  has  followed  them  at  a  distance;  he  has  seen 
them  lock  up  his  accomplice,  and  he  is  undoubtedly 
prowling  around  the  station-house.  If  I  hurried  in 
pursuit  could  I  hope  to  overtake  him,  to  capture  him? 
No;  too  long  a  time  has  elapsed." 

Father  Absinthe  listened  to  the  monologue  with  in- 
tense curiosity,  as  anxious  as  an  unsophisticated  person 
who  is  questioning  a  clairvoyant  in  regard  to  some  lost 
articles,  and  who  is  awaiting  the  response  of  the  oracle. 

"  To  follow  the  woman,"  continued  the  young  man, 
"  to  what  would  that  lead?  Perhaps  to  an  important 
discovery;  perhaps  to  nothing." 

He  preferred  the  unknown  with  all  its  chances  of  fail- 
ure, and  all  its  chances  of  success,  as  well. 

He  rose;  his  course  was  decided. 

"  Ah,  well!  "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  choose  the  unknown. 
We  are  going,  Father  Absinthe,  to  follow  the  footprints 
of  these  two  women,  and  wherever  they  lead  us  we  will 

go." 

Inspired  with  equal  ardor  they  began  their  walk. 
At  the  end  of  the  path  upon  which  they  had  entered 
they  perceived,  as  in  a  magic  glass,  the  one,  the  fruits, 
the  other,  the  glory  of  success. 

They  hurried  forward.  At  first  it  was  only  play  to 
follow  the  distinct  footprints  that  led  toward  the  Seine. 

But  it  was  not  long  before  they  were  obliged  to  pro- 
ceed more  slowly. 

On  leaving  the  waste  ground  they  arrived  at  the 
outer  limits  of  civilization,  so  to  speak;  and  strange 
footprints  mingled  constantly  with  the  footprints  of 
the  fugitives,  mixing  with  them,  and  sometimes  effac- 
ing them. 

In  many  localities,  on  account  of  exposure,  or  ihe 


48  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

nature  of  the  soil,  the  thaw  had  done  its  work,  and 
there  were  large  patches  of  ground  entirely  free  from 
snow. 

In  such  cases  they  lost  the  clew,  and  it  took  all  Le- 
coq's  sagacity,  and  all  his  companion's  good-will,  to 
find  it  again. 

On  such  occasions  Father  Absinthe  planted  his  cane 
in  the  earth,  near  the  last  footprint  that  had  been  dis- 
covered, and  Lecoq  and  himself  hunted  on  the  ground 
around  this  starting-point,  after  the  fashion  of  blood- 
hounds who  have  been  thrown  off  the  scent. 

Then  it  was  that  the  lantern  moved  about  so 
strangely. 

More  than  a  dozen  times,  in  spite  of  all  their  efforts, 
they  would  have  lost  the  clew  entirely  had  it  not  been 
for  the  elegant  shoes  worn  by  the  lady  with  the  little 
feet. 

These  had  such  small  and  extremely  high  heels  that 
the  impression  they  left  could  not  be  mistaken.  They 
sank  down  three  or  four  inches  in  the  snow,  or  in  the 
mud,  and  their  tell-tale  impress  remained  as  clear  and 
distinct  as  that  of  seal  upon  wax. 

Thanks  to  these  heels,  the  pursuers  were  able  to  dis- 
cover that  the  two  fugitives  had  not  gone  up  the  Rue 
de  Patay,  as  might  have  been  supposed.  Probably 
they  had  considered  the  street  too  much  frequented, 
and  too  well  lighted. 

They  had  only  crossed  it,  just  below  the  Rue  de  la 
Croix-Rouge,  and  had  profited  by  an  empty  space  be- 
tween houses  to  regain  the  open  ground. 

"  Certainly  these  women  were  well  acquainted  with 
the  lay  of  the  land,"  murmured  Lecoq. 

They  did  indeed  know  the  topography  so  well  that,  on 
quitting  the  Rue  de  Patay,  they  had  suddenly  turned 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  49 

to  the  right,  in  order  to  avoid  several  large  ditches, 
which  had  been  opened  by  persons  who  were  seeking 
earth  to  be  used  in  the  manufacture  of  brick. 

But  the  trail  was  recovered,  and  they  followed  it  as 
far  as  the  Rue  du  Chevaleret. 

Here  the  footprints  abruptly  ceased. 

Lecoq  discovered  eight  or  ten  footmarks  left  by  the 
woman  who  wore  the  broad  shoes,  but  that  was  all. 

The  earth,  it  is  true,  was  not  in  a  condition  to  be  of 
much  assistance  in  an  exploration  of  this  nature. 
There  had  been  a  great  deal  of  passing  in  the  Rue  du 
Chevaleret,  and  there  was  but  little  snow  left  on  the 
pavement,  and  the  middle  of  the  street  was  transformed 
into  a  river  of  slush. 

"  Did  these  people  recollect,  at  last,  that  the  snow 
might  betray  them?  Did  they  take  the  middle  of  the 
street  ?  "  growled  the  young  officer. 

Certainly  they  could  not  have  crossed  to  a  vacant 
space  as  they  had  done  just  before,  for  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street  extended  the  long  wall  of  a  factory. 

"  Ah !  "  sighed  Father  Absinthe,  "  we  have  our  labor 
for  our  pains." 

But  Lecoq  possessed  a  temperament  that  refused  to 
acknowledge  defeat. 

Animated  by  the  cold  anger  of  a  man  who  sees  the 
object  which  he  was  about  to  seize  disappear  from  be- 
fore his  very  eyes,  he  recommenced  his  search,  and 
was  well  repaid  for  his  efforts. 

"I  understand!"  he  cried  suddenly.  "I  compre- 
hend— I  see !  " 

Father  Absinthe  drew  near.  He  did  not  see  nor  di- 
vine anything;  but  he  no  longer  doubted  the  powers 
of  his  companion. 

"  Look  here,"  said  Lecoq;  "  what  do  you  see?" 


So  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Marks  left  by  the  wheels  of  a  carriage  that  turned 
here." 

"  Very  well,  papa ;  these  tracks  explain  all.  When 
they  reached  this  spot,  our  fugitives  saw  the  light  of  an 
approaching  fiacre,  which  was  returning  to  Paris.  It 
was  empty;  it  was  their  salvation.  They  waited  here, 
and  when  it  came  nearer  they  called  to  the  coachman. 
Doubtless  they  promised  him  a  generous  pour  boire; 
this  is  evident,  since  he  consented  to  go  back  again. 
He  turned  short  here;  they  entered  the  carriage,  and 
that  is  why  these  footprints  go  no  farther." 

This  explanation  was  not  pleasing  to  his  companion. 

"  Have  we  made  any  great  progress  now  that  we 
know  that?  "  he  asked. 

Lecoq  could  not  restrain  an  impulse  to  shrug  his 
shoulder. 

"  Did  you  expect  that  the  tracks  made  by  these  fugi- 
tives would  lead  us  through  Paris  and  up  to  their  very 
doors?  "  he  asked. 

"No;  but " 

"  Then  what  would  you  ask  more?  Do  you  think 
that  I  shall  not  know  how  to  find  this  coachman  to- 
morrow? He  was  returning  with  his  empty  carriage, 
his  day's  work  was  ended;  hence,  his  stable  is  in  this 
neighborhood.  Do  you  suppose  that  he  will  have  for- 
gotten that  he  took  up  two  persons  on  the  Rue  du  Che- 
valeret?  He  will  tell  us  where  he  deposited  them;  but 
that  will  not  do  us  any  good,  for  they,  of  course,  have 
not  given  him  their  true  address.  But  he  can  give  us  a 
description  of  them,  tell  us  how  they  were  dressed  and 
describe  their  appearance,  their  manner,  and  their  age. 
And  with  that,  and  what  we  already  know " 

An  eloquent  gesture  expressed  the  remainder  of  his 
thought;  then  he  added: 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  51 

"  We  must  now  go  back  to  the  Poivriere,  and  go 
quickly.  And  you,  my  friend,  may  now  extinguish 
your  lantern." 


CHAPTER  VI 

While  doing  his  best  to  keep  pace  with  his  compan- 
ion, who  was  in  such  haste  to  get  back  to  the  Poivriere 
that  he  almost  ran,  Father  Absinthe's  thoughts  were  as 
busy  as  his  legs,  and  an  entirely  new  idea  was  awak- 
ened in  his  mind. 

During  the  twenty-five  years  that  he  had  been  con- 
nected with  the  police  force,  the  good  man — to  use  his 
own  expression — had  seen  many  of  his  colleagues  walk 
over  his  body,  and  win,  after  only  a  few  months'  work, 
a  promotion  that  his  long  years,  of  service  had  not 
gained  for  him. 

In  these  cases  he  had  not  failed  to  accuse  his  supe- 
riority of  injustice,  and  his  fortunate  rivals  of  gross  flat- 
tery. 

In  his  opinion,  seniority  was  the  only  claim  to  ad- 
vancement— the  only,  the  best,  .the  most  respectable 
claim. 

When  he  said,  "  It  is  infamous  to  pass  over  an  old 
member  of  the  service,"  he  summed  up  his  opinions, 
his  griefs,  and  all  his  bitterness  in  that  one  sentence. 

Ah,  well!  to-night  Father  Absinthe  discovered  that 
there  is  something  beyond  seniority,  and  that  there 
might  be  good  and  sufficient  reasons  for  what  he  had 
formerly  regarded  as  favoritism.  He  secretly  con- 
fessed that  this  new-comer,  whom  he  had  treated  so 
carelessly,  had  just  followed  up  a  clew  as  he,  veteran 
though  he  was,  would  never  have  succeeded  in  doing. 

But  communing  with  himself  was  not  this  good 


52  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

man's  forte;  he  soon  began  to  weary  of  it,  and  on  reach- 
ing a  place  where  they  were  obliged  to  proceed  more 
slowly  on  account  of  the  badness  of  the  road,  he 
deemed  it  a  favorable  opportunity  to  resume  the  con- 
versation. 

"  You  say  nothing,  comrade,"  he  ventured,  "  and 
one  might  swear  that  you  were  not  content." 

This  surprising  result  of  the  old  man's  reflections 
would  have  amazed  Lecoq  if  his  mind  had  not  been 
a  hundred  leagues  away. 

"  Really,  I  am  not  content,"  he  responded. 

"And  why,  pray?  Only  ten  minutes  ago  you  were 
as  gay  as  a  lark." 

"  Then  I  did  not  see  the  misfortune  that  threatens 
us." 

"A  misfortune!  " 

"  A  very  great  misfortune.  Do  you  not  perceive 
that  the  weather  has  undeniably  moderated?  It  is  evi- 
dent that  the  wind  is  from  the  south.  The  fog  has  dis- 
appeared, but  the  sky  is  cloudy  and  the  weather  is 
threatening.  It  will  rain  in  less  than  an  hour." 

"  A  few  drops  are  falling  now;  I  just  felt  one." 

These  words  produced  much  the  same  effect  on  Le- 
coq that  a  blow  of  a  whip  produces  on  a  spirited  horse. 
He  sprang  forward,  and,  adopting  a  still  more  hurried 
pace,  he  exclaimed: 

"  Let  us  make  haste!  let  us  make  haste!  " 

The  old  policeman  followed  him  as  in  duty  bound; 
but  his  mind  was,  if  possible,  still  more  troubled  by  the 
replies  of  his  young  companion. 

A  great  misfortune!  The  wind  from  the  south' 
Rain!  He  did  not  see,  and  he  could  not  see  the  con- 
nection. 

Greatly  puzzled,  and  not  a  little  anxious,  he  asked 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  53 

an  explanation,  although  he  had  but  little  more  breath 
than  was  necessary  to  enable  him  to  continue  the  forced 
march  that  he  was  making. 

"  Upon  my  word,"  said  he,  "  I  have  racked  my 
brains " 

His  companion  took  pity  on  his  anxiety. 

"  What !  "  he  exclaimed,  as  he  hastened  forward, 
"  you  do  not  understand  that  our  investigation,  my 
success,  and  your  reward,  are  dependent  upon  those 
black  clouds  which  the  wind  is  driving  toward  us! " 

"Oh!" 

"  Twenty  minutes  of  even  a  gentle  rain,  and  our 
time  and  our  labor  will  be  lost.  If  it  rains,  the  snow 
will  melt,  and  farewell  to  our  proofs.  Let  us  go  on — 
let  us  go  on  more  quickly!  You  know  very  well  that 
in  such  cases  it  is  necessary  to  bring  something  more 
than  words.  If  we  declare  to  the  coroner  that  we  have 
seen  these  footprints,  he  will  ask,  where?  And  what 
can  we  say?  If  we  swear  by  all  the  gods  that  we  have 
seen  the  footprints  of  a  man  and  of  two  women,  the 
judge  will  say,  '  Let  me  see  them.'  And  who  would 
feel  sheepish  then !  Father  Absinthe  and  Lecoq.  Be- 
sides, Gevrol  would  not  fail  to  declare  that  we  were  say- 
ing what  was  not  true,  in  order  to  enhance  our  own 
value,  and  to  humiliate  him." 

"  For  example! " 

"  Faster,  papa,  faster;  you  will  have  all  day  to-mor- 
row to  be  indignant.  Perhaps  it  will  not  rain.  In  that 
case,  these  perfect,  clear,  and  recognizable  footprints 
will  be  the  ruin  of  the  culprits.  How  can  we  preserve 
them?  By  what  process  could  we  solidify  them?  I 
would  deluge  them  with  my  blood  if  that  would  cause 
them  to  congeal." 


54 

Father  Absinthe  was  thinking  that  his  share  of  the 
labor  thus  far  had  been  the  least  important. 

He  had  held  the  lantern. 

But  here  was  a  chance  for  him  to  acquire  a  real  and 
substantial  right  to  the  prospective  reward. 

"  I  know,"  he  declared,  "  a  method  by  which  one 
could  preserve  these  marks  in  the  snow." 

At  these  words  the  younger  man  stopped  short. 

"  Do  you  know — you?  "  he  interrupted. 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  replied  the  old  officer,  with  the  evi- 
dent satisfaction  of  a  man  who  has  gained  his  revenge. 
"  They  invented  a  way  at  the  time  of  that  affair  at  the 
White  House.  It  occurred  last  winter,  in  the  month 
of  December." 

"  I  recollect." 

"  Ah !  well,  there  was  upon  the  snow  in  the  courtyard 
an  impress  that  attracted  the  attention  of  a  detective. 
He  said  that  the  whole  evidence  depended  upon  that 
alone,  and  that  it  was  worth  more  than  ten  years  of 
hard  work  in  following  up  the  case.  Naturally  he 
desired  to  preserve  it.  They  sent  for  a  great  chem- 
ist  " 

"  Go  on,  go  on." 

"  I  have  never  seen  the  method  put  into  practice,  but 
an  expert  told  me  all  about  it,  and  showed  me  the  mould 
they  obtained.  He  even  told  me  that  he  explained  it 
to  me  fully,  on  account  of  my  profession,  and  for  my 
instruction." 

Lecoq  was  trembling  with  impatience. 
"And  how  did  they  obtain  the  mould?"  he  asked, 
brusquely. 

"  Wait ;  I  was  just  going  to  explain.  They  take 
cards  of  the  best  gelatine,  and  they  allow  it  to  soak  in 
cold  water.  When  it  becomes  thoroughly  softened, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  55 

they  heat  it  until  it  forms  a  liquid  not  too  thin,  nor  too 
thick.  They  allow  this  to  cool  until  it  is  just  cool 
enough,  and  then  pour  a  nice  little  covering  of  it  upon 
the  footprint " 

Lecoq  felt  the  irritation  that  is  natural  to  a  person 
after  he  has  listened  to  a  bad  joke,  or  when  one  finds 
that  one  has  lost  time  in  listening  to  a  fool. 

"  Enough ! "  he  interrupted,  angrily.  "  That  is 
Hugonlin's  method;  it  can  be  found  in  all  the  man- 
uals. It  is  excellent,  no  doubt,  but  how  can  it  serve 
us?  Have  you  any  gelatine  about  you?  " 

"  No." 

"  Nor  have  I.  You  might  as  well  have  counselled 
me  to  pour  melted  lead  upon  the  footprints  to  fix  them." 

They  continued  their  way,  and  five  minutes  later, 
without  having  exchanged  another  word,  they  re-en- 
tered the  Widow  Chupin's  hovel. 

The  first  impulse  of  the  older  man  would  have  been 
to  rest,  to  breathe.  Lecoq  did  not  give  him  time  to 
do  so. 

"  Make  haste;  get  me  an  earthen  dish,  a  plate,  a  vase; 
bring  me  some  water;  gather  together  all  the  boards 
and  old  boxes  you  can  find  lying  about." 

While  his  companion  was  obeying  him,  Lecoq  armed 
himself  with  a  fragment  of  one  of  the  broken  bottles, 
and  began  scraping  away  furiously  at  the  plastered  wall 
that  separated  the  two  rooms. 

His  intelligence,  disconcerted  at  first  by  the  immi- 
nence of  the  unexpected  catastrophe,  had  regained  its 
equilibrium.  He  had  reflected;  he  had  thought  of  a 
way  by  which  failure  might  possibly  be  averted — and 
he  hoped. 

When  he  had  accumulated  at  his  feet  seven  or  eight 
handfuls  of  the  fine  plaster-dust,  he  mixed  half  of  it 


56  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

with  a  little  water,  forming  a  thin  paste,  and  he  left  the 
rest  untouched  on  the  side  of  the  plate. 

"  Now,  papa,"  said  he,  "  come  and  hold  the  light 
for  me." 

When  once  in  the  garden,  the  young  man  sought 
for  the  deepest  and  most  distinct  of  the  footprints, 
knelt  beside  it,  and  began  his  experiment,  trembling 
with  anxiety. 

He  then  sprinkled  upon  the  impression  a  fine  coating 
of  the  dry  plaster,  then  upon  this  coating,  with  infinite 
care,  he  poured  his  liquid  solution,  drop  by  drop. 

What  happiness!  the  experiment  was  successful!  It 
united  in  a  homogeneous  mass,  forming  a  perfect 
model  of  the  impress.  And  after  an  hour's  labor,  he 
possessed  half  a  dozen  of  these  casts,  which  might,  per- 
haps, be  a  little  wanting  in  clearness  of  outline,  but 
which  were  quite  perfect  enough  to  be  used  as  evi- 
dence. 

Lecoq  had  reason  for  his  alarm;  it  was  already  be- 
ginning to  rain. 

He  had,  however,  plenty  of  time  to  cover  with  the 
boxes  and  pieces  of  board  which  Father  Absinthe  had 
collected  a  number  of  these  footprints,  which  he  had, 
so  to  speak,  put  beyond  the  reach  of  a  thaw. 

Now  he  could  breathe.    The  coroner  might  come. 


CHAPTER  VII 

It  was  some  distance  from  the  Poivriere  to  the  Rue 
du  Chevaleret,  even  by  way  of  the  plain  that  made  any 
detours  unnecessary. 

It  had  taken  at  least  four  hours  for  Lecoq  and  his 
colleague  to  collect  their  elements  of  information. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  57 

And,  meantime,  the  Widow  Chupin's  cabin  had  re- 
mained open,  accessible  to  any  chance  visitor. 

Still,  when  the  young  policeman  had  on  his  return 
remembered  this  neglect  of  the  first  precautions,  he  did 
not  feel  alarmed. 

Considering  all  the  circumstances,  it  was  very  diffi- 
cult to  believe  that  any  serious  harm  could  have  result- 
ed from  this  carelessness. 

For  who  would  have  been  likely,  after  the  hour  of 
midnight,  to  visit  this  drinking  saloon?  Its  bad  name 
erected  a  sort  of  bulwark  around  it.  The  most  daring 
of  vagrants  did  not  drink  there  without  some  disquiet- 
ude, fearing,  if  the  liquor  caused  them  to  lose  con- 
sciousness, that  they  might  be  robbed  or  perhaps  mur- 
dered. 

Hence  it  could  have  been  only  a  very  reckless  person 
who,  feeling  a  few  sous  left  in  his  pocket  on  returning 
late  at  night  from  the  ball  at  the  Rainbow,  would  have 
been  attracted  to  this  notoriously  dangerous  saloon  by 
the  light  that  streamed  through  the  open  door. 

But  a  single  glance  at  the  interior  would  have  been 
enough  to  put  the  bravest  to  flight. 

In  less  than  a  second  the  young  policeman  had 
weighed  all  these  possibilities,  but  he  had  not  breathed 
a  word  to  Father  Absinthe. 

When,  little  by  little,  the  excitement  caused  by  his 
hopes  and  his  success  in  his  experiment  had  died  away, 
and  he  had  returned  to  his  habitual  calmness,  he  made 
a  careful  inspection  of  the  abode,  and  was  by  no  means 
satisfied  with  his  conduct. 

He  had  experimented  upon  Father  Absinthe  with 
his  new  system  of  investigation,  as  an  apprentice  in  the 
tribune  tries  his  powers  before  his  least  gifted  friends, 
not  before  the  best. 


58  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

He  had  overwhelmed  the  veteran  by  his  superiority; 
he  had  crushed  him. 

Great  merit  and  wonderful  victory!  Father  Ab- 
sinthe was  a  fool ;  he,  Lecoq,  thought  himself  very  fine 
— was  there  any  reason  why  he  should  boast? 

If  he  could  only  give  some  startling  proofs  of  his 
energy  or  of  his  penetration !  But  what  had  he  accom- 
plished? Was  the  mystery  solved?  Was  his  success 
more  than  problematical?  When  one  thread  is  drawn 
out,  the  skein  is  not  untangled. 

This  night  would  undoubtedly  decide  his  future  as 
a  detective,  so  he  swore  that  if  he  could  not  conquer  his 
vanity,  he  would,  at  least,  oblige  himself  to  conceal  it. 

Hence  it  was  in  a  very  modest  tone  that  he  addressed 
his  companion. 

"We  have  done  all  that  we  can  outside,"  said  he; 
"  now  would  it  not  be  wise  to  busy  ourselves  with  the 
interior?  " 

Everything  looked  exactly  as  it  did  when  the  two 
men  left  the  room.  A  candle;  whose  wick  was  smoking 
and  charred,  threw  its  red  light  upon  the  same  scene  of 
disorder,  and  upon  the  rigid  features  of  the  three  vic- 
tims. 

Without  losing  a  moment,  Lecoq  began  to  pick  up 
and  to  study  all  the  objects  scattered  upon  the  floor. 
Some  of  these  still  remained  intact.  It  seemed  that  the 
Widow  Chupin  had  recoiled  from  the  expense  of  a 
brick  floor,  judging  the  ground  upon  which  the  cabin 
was  built  quite  good  enough  for  the  feet  of  her  cus- 
tomers. The  ground,  which  must  have  been  solid  and 
beaten  down  originally,  had,  by  use,  by  the  damp 
weather  and  the  thaw,  become  scarcely  less  muddy  than 
the  plain  itself. 

The  first-fruits  of  his  search  were  a  large  salad-bowl, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  $9 

and  a  big  iron  spoon,  which  was  too  much  twisted  and 
bent  not  to  have  been  used  as  a  weapon  during  the  con- 
flict. 

It  was  evident  that  when  the  quarrel  began  the  vic- 
tims were  regaling  themselves  with  that  mixture  of 
water,  wine  and  sugar,  known  along  the  barriers  under 
the  name  of  wine  a  la  Frangaise. 

After  the  salad-bowl,  the  two  men  picked  up  five  of 
those  horrible  glasses  used  in  drinking-saloons,  heavy 
and  very  thick  at  the  bottom,  which  look  as  if  they 
ought  to  contain  half  a  bottle,  but  which,  in  reality, 
contain  almost  nothing.  Three  were  broken,  two  were 
whole. 

There  had  been  wine  in  these  five  glasses — the  same 
wine  a  la  Frangaise.  They  could  see  it ;  but,  for  greater 
surety,  Lecoq  applied  his  tongue  to 'the  bluish  mixture 
remaining  in  the  bottom  of  each  glass. 

"  The  devil !  "  he  murmured,  with  an  astonished  air. 

Then  he  examined  successively  the  bottoms  of  all  the 
over-turned  tables.  Upon  one  of  these,  the  one  nearest 
the  fireplace  and  the  window,  they  could  distinguish  the 
still  wet  marks  of  the  five  glasses,  of  the  salad-bowl,  and 
even  of  the  spoons. 

This  circumstance  the  young  officer  very  properly 
regarded  as  a  matter  of  the  greatest  importance,  for  it 
proved  clearly  that  five  persons  had  emptied  the  salad- 
bowl  in  company.  But  which  persons? 

"  Oh !  oh !  "  exclaimed  Lecoq  in  two  entirely  differ- 
ent tones.  "  Then  the  two  women  could  not  have  been 
with  the  murderer!  " 

A  very  simple  mode  of  discovery  had  presented  itself. 
It  was  to  see  what  the  other  glasses  had  contained. 
They  discovered  one,  similar  in  form  to  the  others,  but 
much  smaller.  It  had  contained  brandy. 


60  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Then  these  women  had  not  been  with  the  murderer, 
therefore  he  could  not  have  fought  because  the  other 
men  had  insulted  them. 

This  discovery  had  suddenly  proved  the  incorrect- 
ness of  his  suppositions.  It  was  an  unexpected  check, 
and  he  was  mourning  over  it  in  silence,  when  Father 
Absinthe,  who  had  not  ceased  ferreting  about,  uttered  a 
cry  of  surprise. 

The  young  man  turned;  he  saw  that  his  companion 
had  become  very  pale. 

"  What  is  it?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Someone  has  been  here  in  our  absence." 

"Impossible!" 

It  was  not  impossible — it  was  true. 

When  Gevrol  had  torn  the  apron  off  of  Widow  Chu- 
pin,  he  had  thrown  it  upon  the  steps  of  the  stairs; 
neither  of  the  policemen  had  touched  it  afterward. 
Ah,  well!  the  pockets  of  this  apron  had  been  turned  in- 
side out;  this  was  a  proof,  this  was  evidence. 

Lecoq  was  overcome  with  consternation,  and  the 
contraction  of  his  features  revealed  the  struggle  in  his 
mind. 

"Who  could  have  been  here?"  he  murmured. 
"  Robbers?  That  is  improbable." 

Then  after  a  long  silence,  which  his  companion  took 
good  care  not  to  interrupt : 

"  The  person  who  came  here,  who  dared  to  penetrate 
this  abode  guarded  by  the  corpses  of  those  murdered 
men — this  person  could  have  been  none  other  than  the 
accomplice.  But  it  is  not  enough  to  suspect  this;  it  is 
necessary  to  know  it.  I  must  know.  I  will  know!  " 

They  searched  for  a  long  time,  and  it  was  not  until 
after  an  hour  of  earnest  work  that,  in  front  of  the  door 
forced  open  by  the  police,  they  discovered  in  the  mud, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  61 

just  inside  the  marks  made  by  Gevrol's  stamping,  a 
footprint  that  bore  a  close  resemblance  to  those  left  by 
the  man  who  had  entered  the  garden. 

They  compared  the  impressions  and  recognized  the 
same  designs  formed  by  the  nails  upon  the  sole  of  the 
boot. 

"  It  must  have  been  he !  "  exclaimed  Lecoq.  "  He 
watched  us,  he  saw  us  go  away,  and  he  entered  here. 
But  why?  What  pressing,  irresistible  necessity  made 
him  decide  to  brave  such  imminent  danger?  " 

He  seized  his  companion's  hand,  and  nearly  crushing 
it  in  his  excitement: 

"Why?"  continued  he,  violently.  "Ah!  I  under- 
stand only  too  well.  There  had  been  left,  or  forgotten 
or  lost  here,  some  article  that  would  have  served  to 
throw  light  on  this  horrible  affair.  And  to  obtain  it, 
to  find  it,  he  decided  to  run  this  terrible  risk.  And  to 
think  that  it  was  my  fault,  my  fault  alone,  that  this  con- 
vincing proof  escaped  us!  And  I  thought  myself  so 
shrewd !  What  a  lesson !  The  door  should  have  been 
locked;  any  fool  would  have  thought  of  it " 

He  checked  himself,  and  remained  with  open  mouth 
and  distended  eyes,  pointing  with  his  finger  to  one  of 
the  corners  of  the  room. 

"  What  is  the  matter? "  demanded  his  frightened 
companion. 

Lecoq  made  no  reply,  but  slowly  and  with  the  stiff 
movements  of  a  somnambulist,  he  approached  the  spot 
to  which  he  had  pointed,  stooped,  picked  up  some- 
thing, and  said: 

"  My  folly  does  not  deserve  this  good  fortune." 

The  object  he  had  picked  up  was  an  ear-ring  of  the 
sort  that  jewellers  call  buttons.  It  was  composed  of  a 


62  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

single  very  large  diamond.    The  setting  was  of  marvel' 
lous  workmanship. 

"  This  diamond,"  he  declared,  after  a  moment's  ex- 
amination, "  must  be  worth  at  least  five  or  six  thousand 
francs." 

"  Are  you  in  earnest?  " 

"  I  think  I  would  be  willing  to  take  my  oath  on  it." 

He  had  not  said  ".I  think,"  a  few  hours  before;  he 
had  said  very  boldly,  "  I  swear."  But  the  first  mistake 
was  a  lesson  that  would  not  be  forgotten  so  long  as  he 
lived. 

"  Perhaps  it  was  the  same  diamond  ear-ring  that  the 
accomplice  came  to  seek." 

"  This  supposition  is  scarcely  admissible.  In  that 
case,  he  would  not  have  sought  for  it  in  Mother  Chu- 
pin's  apron.  No,  he  must  have  been  seeking  some- 
thing else — a  letter,  for  example." 

The  older  man  was  not  listening;  he  had  taken  the 
ear-ring,  and  was  examining  it  in  his  turn. 

"  And  to  think,"  he  murmured,  astonished  by  the 
brilliancy  of  the  stone,  "  to  think  that  a  woman  who 
had  ten  thousand  francs'  worth  of  jewels  in  her  ears 
should  have  come  to  the  Poivriere.  Who  would  have 
believed  it?  " 

Lecoq  shook  his  head  thoughtfully.  "  Yes,  it  is 
very  strange,  very  improbable,  very  absurd.  And  yet 
we  shall  see  many  things  as  strange  if  we  ever  arrive — 
which  I  very  much  doubt — at  a  solution  of  this  myste- 
rious affair." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  63 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Day  was  breaking,  raw,  cheerless,  and  gloomy,  when 
Lecoq  and  his  colleague  concluded  their  investigation. 

There  was  not  an  inch  of  space  that  had  not  been  ex- 
plored, carefully  examined,  and  studied,  one  might  al- 
most say,  with  a  magnifying  glass. 

There  remained  now  only  to  make  the  report. 

The  younger  man  seated  himself  at  the  table,  and 
began  by  drawing  a  plan  of  the  scene  of  the  murder, 
which  would,  of  course,  be  of  great  service  in  making 
others  understand  his  recital. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  in  this  explanatory  chart 
Lecoq  had  not  once  written  his  name. 

In  noting  the  things  that  he  had  imagined  or  discov- 
ered, he  referred  to  himself  simply  as  one  of  the  police. 

This  was  not  modesty  so  much  as  calculation.  By 
hiding  one's  self  on  well-chosen  occasions,  one  gains 
greater  notoriety  when  one  merges  from  the  shadow. 

It  was  also  through  cunning  that  he  gave  Gevrol  such 
a  prominent  position. 

These  tactics,  rather  subtle,  perhaps,  but  after  all 
perfectly  fair,  could  not  fail  to  call  attention  to  the  man 
who  had  shown  himself  so  efficient  when  the  efforts 
of  his  chief  had  been  confined  only  to  breaking  open  the 
door. 

The  document  he  drew  up  was  not  a  verbal  process, 
an  act  reserved  for  the  officers  of  the  police  judiciary — 
it  was  a  simple  report,  that  would  be  admitted  under 
the  title  of  an  inquiry  and  yet  he  composed  it  with  the 
same  care  a  young  general  would  have  displayed  in  the 
bulletin  of  his  first  victory. 


64 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ 


A. — The  point  where  the  squad  of  police,  under  command  of  Inspector 
Gevrol,  heard  the  cries  of  the  victims. 

(The  distance  from  this  point  to  the  hut  known  as  the  Poivriere  is  only 
one  hundred  and  twenty-three  yards  ;  hence,  it  may  reasonably  be  sup- 
posed that  these  cries  were  the  first  that  were  uttered,  and  consequently 
that  the  combat  had  just  commenced.) 

B. — The  window  covered  with  shutters,  through  the  openings  of  which 
one  of  the  police  was  able  to  see  the  scene  within. 

C. — The  door  forced  open  by  Inspector  Gevrol. 

D. — Staircase  upon  which  the  Widow  Chupin  was  seated,  crying. 

(It  was  upon  the  third  step  of  this  staircase  that  the  Widow  Chupin's 
apron  was  afterwards  found,  the  pockets  turned  inside  out.) 

F. — Fire-place. 

HHH.— Tables. 

(The  remnants  of  the  salad-bowl  and  of  the  five  glasses  were  found 
scattered  on  the  floor  between  the  points  F  and  B.) 

T. — Door  communicating  with  the  back  room  of  the  hovel,  before 
which  the  armed  murderer  was  standing. 

K. — Back  door  of  the  hut,  opening  into  the  garden,  by  which  the  agent 
of  police,  who  thought  of  cutting  off  the  murderer's  retreat,  entered. 

L. — Gate  of  the  garden,  opening  upon  the  unoccupied  ground. 

MM. — Footprints  on  the  snow,  discovered  by  the  policeman  remaining 
at  the  Poivriere,  after  the  departure  of  Inspector  Gevrol. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  65 

While  he  was  drawing  and  writing,  Father  Absinthe 
leaned  over  his  shoulder  to  watch  him. 

The  plan  amazed  that  worthy  man.  He  had  seen  a 
great  deal;  but  he  had  always  supposed  that  it  was 
necessary  to  be  an  engineer,  an  architect,  or,  at  least, 
a  carpenter,  to  execute  such  a  work.  Not  at  all.  With 
a  tape-line  with  which  to  take  some  measurements,  and 
a  bit  of  board  in  place  of  a  rule,  this  inexperienced  col- 
league had  accomplished  the  miracle. 

His  respect  for  Lecoq  was  greatly  augmented. 

It  is  true  that  the  worthy  veteran  had  not  noticed 
the  explosion  of  the  young  policeman's  vanity,  nor  his 
return  to  his  former  modest  demeanor.  He  had  not 
observed  his  alarm,  nor  his  perplexity,  nor  his  lack  of 
penetration. 

After  a  few  moments,  Father  Absinthe  ceased  watch- 
ing his  companion.  He  felt  weary  after  the  labors  of 
the  night,  his  head  was  burning,  and  he  shivered. 

His  knees  trembled. 

Perhaps,  though  he  was  by  no  means  sensitive,  he 
felt  the  influence  of  the  horrors  that  surrounded  him, 
and  which  seemed  more  sinister  than  ever  in  the  bleak 
light  of  morning. 

He  began  to  ferret  in  the  cupboards,  and  at  last  suc- 
ceeded in  discovering — oh,  great  good  fortune !— a  bot- 
tle of  brandy,  three-quarters  full.  He  hesitated  for  an 
instant,  then  he  poured  out  a  glassful,  and  drained  it  at 
a  single  draught. 

"  Wrill  you  have  some?  "  he  inquired  of  his  compan- 
ion. "  It  is  not  a  very  famous  brand,  to  be  sure;  but  it 
is  just  as  good;  it  makes  one's  blood  circulate  and  en- 
livens one." 

Lecoq  refused;  he  did  not  need  to  be  enlivened.  All 
his  faculties  were  hard  at  work.  He  intended  that,  after 


66  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

a  single  reading  of  the  report,  the  judge  should  say: 
"  Let  the  officer  who  has  drawn  up  this  document  be 
sent  for."  His  future  depended  upon  this  order. 

He  endeavored  to  be  brief,  clear,  and  concise,  to 
plainly  indicate  how  his  suspicions  on  the  subject  of  the 
murder  had  been  aroused,  how  they  had  increased,  and 
how  they  had  been  confirmed.  He  explained  by  what 
series  of  deductions  he  had  succeeded  in  establishing 
the  truth,  which,  if  it  was  not  the  truth,  was  at  least 
plausible  enough  to  serve  as  the  basis  of  further  investi- 
gation. 

Then  he  enumerated  the  articles  of  conviction  ranged 
on  the  table  before  him. 

There  were  the  flakes  of  brown  wool  collected  upon 
the  plank,  the  valuable  ear-ring,  the  models  of  the  dif- 
ferent footprints  in  the  garden,  and  Widow  Chupin's 
apron  with  its  pockets  turned  inside  out. 

There  was  also  the  murderer's  pistol,  of  whose  five 
barrels  three  were  still  undischarged. 

This  weapon,  although  unornamented,  was  remark- 
ably well  finished,  and  bore  the  name  of  one  of  the  best 
armorers  in  London :  Stephen,  14  Skinner  Street. 

Lecoq  felt  convinced  that  by  examining  the  bodies  of 
the  victims  he  would  find  other,  and  perhaps  very  valu- 
able information;  but  this  he  dared  not  do.  He  was 
still  too  inexperienced  to  hazard  such  a  step.  Besides, 
he  understood  if  he  ran  such  a  risk,  Gevrol,  furious  at 
his  own  mistake,  would  not  fail  to  declare  that,  by 
changing  the  attitude  of  the  bodies,  he  had  rendered  a 
satisfactory  examination  by  the  physicians  impossible. 

He  consoled  himself,  however,  and  he  was  re-reading 
his  report,  modifying  this  or  that  expression,  when 
Father  Absinthe,  who  was  standing  upon  the  threshold 
of  the  outer  door,  called  him. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  67 

"  Is  there  anything  new?  "  responded  Lecoq. 

"  Here  are  Gevrol  and  two  of  our  comrades  bringing 
the  commissioner  and  two  other  gentlemen  with  them." 

It  was,  indeed,  the  commissioner  of  police  who  was 
coming,  quite  interested  in  this  triple  murder  that  had 
stained  his  arondissement,  but  not  very  much  disturbed 
by  it. 

Why  should  he  be  troubled  about  it? 

Gevrol,  whose  opinions  in  such  matters  must  be  re- 
garded as  an  authority,  had  taken  care  to  reassure  him 
when  he  went  to  arouse  him  from  his  slumbers. 

"  It  was  only  a  fight  between  some  old  offenders; 
former  jail-birds,  habitues  of  the  Poivriere,"  he  had 
said  to  him. 

"  If  all  these  wretches  would  kill  one  another,  we 
might  have  some  peace." 

He  added  that  the  murderer  had  been  arrested  and 
placed  in  confinement,  and  consequently  the  case  was 
not  urgent. 

The  commissioner  therefore  saw  nothing  improper 
in  waiting  until  morning  before  beginning  the  inquest. 

He  had  seen  the  murderer,  reported  the  case,  and 
now  he  was  coming — not  in  too  much  haste — accom- 
panied by  two  physicians  who  had  been  appointed  by 
the  government  attorney  to  make  Medico-le gales  reports 
in  such  cases. 

They  were  also  accompanied  by  a  sergeant-major  of 
the  53d  regiment  of  light  infantry,  summoned  by  the 
commissioner  to  identify,  if  possible,  the  murdered  man, 
who  wore  a  uniform,  and  who,  if  one  might  believe  the 
number  engraved  upon  the  buttons  of  his  overcoat, 
belonged  to  the  53d  regiment,  now  stationed  at  the 
fort. 


68  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Inspector  Gevrol  was  even  less  disturbed  than  the 
commissioner. 

He  whistled  as  he  walked  along,  flourishing  his  cane, 
which  never  left  his  hand,  and  making  merry  at  the 
discomfiture  of  the  presumptuous  fool  who  had  desired 
to  remain  to  glean  where  he,  the  experienced  and  skilful 
officer,  had  perceived  nothing. 

As  soon  as  he  was  within  hearing  distance,  the  in- 
spector called  to  Father  Absinthe,  who,  after  warning 
Lecoq,  remained  on  the  threshold,  leaning  against  the 
door-post,  puffing  his  pipe,  as  immovable  as  a  sphinx. 

"  Ah,  well,  old  man!  "  cried  Gevrol,  "  have  you  any 
great  melodrama,  very  dark  and  very  mysterious,  to 
relate  to  us?  " 

"  I  myself  have  nothing  to  relate,"  replied  the  worthy 
addressed,  without  even  drawing  his  pipe  from  his  lips. 
"  I  am  too  stupid;  that  is  perfectly  understood.  But 
Monsieur  Lecoq  will  tell  you  something  that  will  aston- 
ish you." 

This  title,  "  monsieur,"  which  the  old  policeman  be- 
stowed upon  his  colleague,  displeased  Gevrol  so  much 
that  he  pretended  not  to  understand. 

"  Who?  "  said  he;  "  of  whom  are  you  speaking?  " 

"  Of  my  colleague,  of  course,  who  is  now  busy  finish- 
ing his  report — of  Monsieur  Lecoq." 

Although  unintentionally,  the  good  man  had  certain- 
ly become  the  young  policeman's  god-father.  From 
that  day  forward,  to  his  enemies  as  well  as  to  his  friends, 
he  was,  and  he  remained,  Monsieur  Lecoq. 

"Ah!  ah!"  said  the  inspector,  whose  hearing  was 
evidently  impaired.  "  Ah,  he  has  discovered " 

"  The  pot  of  roses  which  others  did  not  scent,  gen- 
eral." 

By  this  remark  Father  Absinthe  made  an  enemy  of 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  69 

his  superior  officer.  But  Lecoq  had  won  him  entirely. 
He  had  taken  sides  with  Lecoq,  and  to  Lecoq,  against 
everyone  else,  if  necessary,  he  had  determined  to  attach 
himself,  and  to  share  good  fortune  or  bad  fortune  with 
him. 

"  We  will  see,"  murmured  the  inspector,  mentally 
resolving  to  have  an  eye  on  this  youth  whom  success 
might  transform  into  a  rival. 

He  said  no  more.  The  little  party  which  he  preced- 
ed had  arrived,  and  he  stood  aside  to  make  way  for  the 
commissioner  of  police. 

This  commissioner  was  not  a  debutant.  He  had 
served  for  many  years,  and  yet  he  could  not  repress  a 
movement  of  horror  on  entering  the  Poivriere. 

The  sergeant-major  of  the  53d  who  followed  him,  an 
old  soldier  decorated  and  medaled,  was  still  more  over- 
come with  horror.  He  became  as  pale  as  the  corpses 
that  were  lying  there,  and  was  obliged  to  lean  against 
the  wall  for  support. 

Only  the  two  physicians  retained  their  stoical  indif- 
ference. 

Lecoq  had  risen,  his  report  in  his  hand;  he  had 
bowed,  and,  assuming  a  respectful  attitude,  was  wait- 
ing to  be  interrogated. 

"  You  must  have  passed  a  frightful  night,"  said  the 
commissioner,  kindly;  "  and  quite  unnecessarily,  since 
any  investigation  was  superfluous." 

"  I  think,  however,"  replied  the  young  man,  armed 
with  diplomacy,  "  that  my  time  has  not  been  entirely 
lost.  I  have  conformed  to  the  instruction  of  my  supe- 
rior officer;  I  have  searched  the  premises  thoroughly, 
and  I  have  ascertained  many  things.  I  have,  for  ex- 
ample, acquired  the  certainty  that  the  murderer  had  a 
friend,  possibly  an  accomplice,  of  whom  I  can  give 


70  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

quite  a  close  description.  He  must  have  been  of  mid- 
dle age,  and  wore,  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  a  soft  cap  and 
a  brown  woollen  overcoat;  as  for  his  boots " 

"  Thunder!  "  exclaimed  Gevrol,  "  and  I- 

He  stopped  short,  like  a  man  whose  impulse  had  ex- 
ceeded his  discretion,  and  who  would  have  gladly  taken 
back  his  words. 

"  And  you  ?  "  questioned  the  commissioner.  "  What 
do  you  mean?  " 

Furious,  but  having  gone  too  far  to  draw  back,  the 
inspector  was  obliged  to  act  as  his  own  executioner. 

"  I  was  about  to  say  that  this  morning,  about  an  hour 
ago,  while  I  was  waiting  for  you,  Monsieur  le  Commis- 
saire,  before  the  station-house  of  the  Barriere  d'ltalie, 
where  the  murderer  is  confined,  I  saw  at  some  little  dis- 
tance an  individual  whose  appearance  was  not  unlike 
that  of  the  man  described  by  Lecoq.  This  man  ap- 
peared to  be  greatly  intoxicated;  he  reeled  and  stag- 
gered against  the  walls.  He  tried  to  cross  the  street, 
but  fell  down  in  the  middle  of  it,  in  such  a  position  that 
he  would  inevitably  have  been  crushed  by  the  first  pass- 
ing vehicle." 

Lecoq  turned  away  his  head;  he  did  not  wish  them 
to  read  in  his  eyes  how  perfectly  he  understood  the 
whole  game. 

"  Seeing  this,"  pursued  Gevrol,  "  I  called  two  men 
and  asked  them  to  aid  me  in  raising  the  poor  wretch. 
We  went  to  him;  he  had  apparently  fallen  asleep;  we 
shook  him — we  made  him  sit  up;  we  told  him  that  he 
could  not  remain  there,  but  immediately  he  flew  into  a 
furious  rage.  He  swore  at  us,  he  threatened  us,  he 
tried  to  fight  us.  And,  upon  my  word !  we  took  him  to 
the  station-house,  and  left  him  there  to  recover  from  his 
debauch." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  7* 

"  Did  you  shut  him  up  in  the  same  room  with  the 
murderer?  "  inquired  Lecoq. 

"  Naturally.  You  know  very  well  there  are  but  two 
cages  in  the  station-house  at  the  barriere — one  for  the 
men,  the  other  for  the  women,  consequently " 

The  commissioner  seemed  thoughtful.  "Ah!  this 
is  very  unfortunate,"  he  murmured;  "  and  there  is  no 
remedy." 

"  Pardon  me,  there  is  one,"  objected  Gevrol.  "  I 
can  send  one  of  my  men  to  the  station-house  with  an 
order  to  detain  the  drunken  man " 

Lecoq  interrupted  him  with  a  gesture. 

"  Trouble  lost,"  he  said,  coldly.  "  If  this  individual 
is  an  accomplice,  he  has  become  sober,  rest  assured  of 
that,  and  is  far  away  by  this  time." 

"  Then  what  is  one  to  do?  "  demanded  the  inspector, 
with  an  ironical  air.  "  May  one  be  permitted  to  inquire 
the  opinion  of  Monsieur  Lecoq?  " 

"  I  think  chance  offered  us  a  splendid  opportunity, 
and  we  did  not  know  how  to  seize  it;  and  that  the  best 
thing  we  can  do  now  is  to  make  our  period  of  mourning 
for  it  as  short  as  possible,  and  to  stand  ready  to  embrace 
the  next  opportunity  that  offers  itself." 

Gevrol  was,  however,  determined  to  send  one  of  his 
men  to  the  station-house;  and  when  the  messenger  had 
departed,  Lecoq  commenced  the  reading  of  his  report. 

He  read  it  rapidly,  refraining  as  much  as  possible 
from  placing  the  decisive  proofs  in  strong  relief,  re- 
serving these  for  his  own  benefit;  but  so  strong  was 
the  logic  of  his  deductions,  that  he  was  frequently  in- 
terrupted by  approving  remarks  from  the  commis- 
sioner, and  by  the  "  very  well !  "  of  the  physicians. 

Gevrol,  who  alone  represented  the  opposition,  ele- 


72  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

vated  his  shoulders  until  they  entirely  concealed  his 
neck,  and  became  literally  green  with  jealousy. 

The  report  concluded : 

"  I  think  that  you  alone,  young  man,  have  judged 
correctly  in  this  affair,"  said  the  commissioner.  "  I 
may  be  mistaken;  but  your  explanations  have  made  me 
look  at  the  attitude  assumed  by  the  murderer  while  I 
was  questioning  him  (which  was  only  for  a  moment), 
in  an  entirely  different  light.  He  refused,  obstinately 
refused,  to  make  any  reply  to  my  questions.  He  would 
not  even  consent  to  tell  his  name." 

He  was  silent  for  a  moment,  reviewing  the  past  cir- 
cumstances in  his  mind,  and  it  was  in  a  serious  tone  that 
he  added: 

"  We  are,  I  feel  convinced,  in  the  presence  of  one  of 
those  mysterious  crimes,  the  causes  of  which  are  be- 
yond the  reach  of  human  sagacity — one  of  those  mys- 
terious cases  which  human  justice  never  can  reach." 

Lecoq  hid  a  slight  smile. 

"  Oh!  "  thought  he,  "  we  will  see  about  that." 


CHAPTER  IX 

No  consultation  held  at  the  bedside  of  a  man  dying  of 
some  unknown  disease  ever  took  place  in  the  presence 
of  two  physicians  so  utterly  unlike  as  those  who,  upon 
the  requisition  of  the  government  attorney,  accom- 
panied the  commissioner  of  police. 

One  large,  old,  and  totally  bald,  wore  a  broad- 
brimmed  hat,  and  an  overcoat  of  antique  cut,  over  his 
ill-fitting  black  coat.  He  was  one  of  those  modest 
savants  whom  one  encounters  sometimes  in  the  by- 
places  of  Paris — one  of  those  healers  devoted  to  their 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  73 

art,  who  too  often  die  in  obscurity,  after  rendering  im- 
mense service  to  mankind. 

He  had  the  gracious  calmness  of  a  man  who,  having 
seen  much  of  human  misery,  comprehended  everything ; 
and  no  troubled  conscience  could  sustain  his  searching 
glance,  which  was  as  keen  as  his  lancet 

The  other,  young,  fresh,  light-haired,  and  jovial,  was 
even  foppishly  attired;  and  his  white  hands  were  en- 
cased in  handsome  fur  gloves.  His  glance  was  ever 
caressing  or  smiling.  He  was  a  man  who  would  have 
been  likely  to  recommend  all  those  infallible  panaceas 
invented  each  month  in  the  chemist's  laboratories  and 
advertised  on  the  fourth  page  of  the  newspapers.  He 
had  probably  written  more  than  one  article  upon 
"  Medicine  for  the  use  of  all  mankind." 

"  I  will  request  you,  gentlemen,  to  begin  your  duties 
by  examining  that  one  of  the  victims  who  wears  the 
military  costume.  Here  is  a  sergeant-major  summoned 
to  answer  a  question  of  identity,  whom  I  must  send 
back  to  his  quarters  as  soon  as  possible." 

The  two  physicians  responded  with  a  gesture  of  as- 
sent, and,  aided  by  Father  Absinthe  and  another  agent 
of  police,  they  lifted  the  body  and  laid  it  upon  two  tables, 
which  had  previously  been  placed  end  to  end. 

They  were  not  obliged  to  make  any  note  of  the  atti' 
tude  in  which  they  found  the  body,  since  the  unfortu- 
nate man,  who  was  still  alive  when  the  police  entered 
the  cabin,  had  been  moved  before  he  expired. 

"  Approach,  sergeant,"  ordered  the  commissioner, 
"  and  look  carefully  at  this  man." 

It  was  with  very  evident  repugnance  that  the  old  sol- 
dier obeyed. 

"  What  is  the  uniform  that  he  wears?  " 


74  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  It  is  the  uniform  of  the  53d  regulars,  2d  battalion, 
company  of  light  infantry." 

"  Do  you  recognize  him?  " 

"  Not  at  all." 

"  Are  you  sure  that  he  does  not  belong  to  your  regi- 
ment? " 

"  I  cannot  say  certainly;  there  are  some  conscripts  at 
the  depot  whom  I  have  never  seen.  But  I  am  ready  to 
swear  that  he  has  never  formed  a  part  of  the  2d  batta- 
lion— which,  by  the  way,  is  mine — in  the  division  of 
light  infantry,  of  which  I  am  sergeant-major." 

Lecoq,  who  had  until  now  remained  in  the  back- 
ground, stepped  forward. 

"  It  might  be  well,"  he  suggested,  "  to  note  the  num- 
bers marked  upon  the  other  articles  of  clothing." 

"  That  is  a  very  good  idea,"  said  the  commissioner, 
approvingly. 

"  Here  is  his  hat,"  added  the  young  policeman.  "  It 
bears  the  number  3,129." 

They  followed  Lecoq's  advice,  and  soon  discovered 
that  each  article  of  clothing  upon  the  unfortunate  man 
bore  a  different  number. 

"  Mon  Dieu!"  murmured  the  sergeant;  "there  is 
every  indication —  But  it  is  very  singular." 

Invited  to  scrupulously  verify  his  assertion,  the  brave 
trooper  evidently  made  an  effort  to  collect  all  his  intel- 
lectual faculties. 

"  I  would  stake  my  epaulettes  that  this  man  never 
was  a  soldier,"  he  said  at  last.  "  This  individual  must 
have  disguised  himself  to  take  part  in  the  Shrove  Sun- 
day carnival" 

"  Why  do  you  think  that?  " 

"  Dame!  I  know  this  better  than  I  can  explain  it. 
I  know  it  by  his  hair,  by  his  nails,  by  his  whole  appear- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  75 

ance,  by  a  certain  je  na  sais  quoi;  in  short,  I  know  it  by 
everything  and  by  nothing.  And  see,  the  poor  devil 
did  not  even  know  how  to  put  on  his  shoes;  he  has 
laced  his  gaiters  wrong  side  outward." 

Evidently  further  doubt  was  impossible  after  this  evi- 
dence, which  confirmed  the  truth  of  Lecoq's  first  re- 
mark to  Inspector  Gevrol. 

"  Still,  if  this  person  was  a  civilian,  how  could  he 
have  procured  this  clothing? "  insisted  the  commis- 
sioner. "  Could  he  have  borrowed  it  from  the  men  in 
your  company?  " 

"  Yes,  that  is  barely  possible;  but  it  is  difficult  to  be- 
lieve it." 

"  Is  there  no  way  by  which  you  could  ascertain?  " 

"  Oh!  very  easily.  I  have  only  to  run  over  to  the 
fort  and  order  an  inspection  of  clothing." 

"Do  that,"  approved  the  commissioner;  "it  would 
be  an  excellent  way  of  getting  at  the  truth." 

But  Lecoq  had  just  thought  of  a  method  just  as  con- 
vincing, and  much  more  prompt. 

"  One  word,  sergeant,"  said  he.  "  Is  not  the  cast-off 
and  condemned  clothing  of  your  men  sold  at  public 
auction?  " 

"  Yes ;  at  least  once  a  year,  after  the  inspection." 

"  And  are  not  the  articles  thus  sold  marked  in  some 
way?  " 

"  Assuredly." 

"  Then  see  if  there  is  not  some  mark  of  this  kind  upon 
the  uniform  of  this  poor  wretch." 

The  officer  turned  up  the  collar  of  his  coat  and  exam- 
ined the  waistband  of  the  pantaloons,  and  said: 

"  You  are  right;  these  are  condemned  garments." 

The  eyes  of  the  young  policeman  sparkled,  but  they 
emitted  only  a  single  gleam  of  triumph. 


76  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  We  must,  then,  believe  that  this  poor  devil  had  pur- 
chased this  costume,"  he  observed.  "Where?  Nec- 
essarily at  the  Temple,  in  the  store  of  one  of  those  mer- 
chants who  deal  in  military  clothing.  There  are  only 
five  or  six  of  these  establishments.  I  will  go  from  one 
to  another  of  them,  and  the  person  who  sold  this  cloth- 
ing will  certainly  recognize  it  by  some  trade  mark." 

"  And  that  will  assist  us  very  much,"  growled  Gevrol. 

The  sergeant-major,  to  his  great  relief,  received  per- 
mission to  retire,  but  not  without  having  been  warned 
that  very  probably  the  commissioner  would  require  his 
deposition. 

The  moment  had  come  to  search  the  body  of  the  pre- 
tended soldier,  and  the  commissioner,  who  performed 
this  duty  himself,  hoped  that  some  information  as  to 
the  identity  of  this  man  would  be  revealed. 

He  proceeded  with  his  task,  dictating  at  the  same 
time  to  one  of  the  men  his  proch-verbal;  that  is  to  say, 
a  minute  description  of  all  the  articles  he  found  upon 
the  dead  man's  person. 

These  were:  in  the  right-hand  pocket  of  the  panta- 
loons, some  smoking  tobacco,  a  pipe,  and  a  few 
matches;  in  the  left  pocket,  a  very  much  soiled  leather 
pocket-book,  containing  seven  francs  and  sixty  cent- 
imes, and  a  linen  pocket-handkerchief  of  good  quality, 
but  unmarked. 

And  nothing  more ! 

The  commissioner  was  regretting  this,  when,  on  care- 
fully examining  the  pocket-book,  he  found  a  compart- 
ment which  had  at  first  escaped  his  notice  on  account  of 
being  hid  under  a  leather  flap. 

In  this  compartment  was  a  carefully  folded  paper. 
He  unfolded  it  and  read  the  contents  aloud : 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  77 

"  MY  DEAR  GUSTAVE — To-morrow,  Sunday  evening, 
do  not  fail  to  come  to  the  ball  at  the  Rainbow,  accord- 
ing to  our  agreement.  If  you  have  no  money,  pass  my 
house,  and  I  will  leave  some  with  the  concierge,  who 
will  give  it  to  you. 

"  Be  there  at  eight  o'clock.  If  I  am  not  already  there, 
it  will  not  be  long  before  I  make  my  appearance.  All 
is  well. 

"  LACHENEUR." 

Alas !  what  did  this  letter  reveal?  Only  that  the  dead 
man's  name  was  Gustave;  that  he  had  some  connection 
with  a  man  named  Lacheneur,  who  had  advanced  him 
money  for  a  certain  object;  and  that  they  had  met  at  the 
Rainbow  some  hours  before  the  murder. 

It  was  little — very  little.  It  was  something,  how- 
ever. It  was  a  clew;  and  in  this  absolute  darkness  even 
the  faintest  gleam  of  light  was  eagerly  welcomed. 

"  Lacheneur!  "  growled  Gevrol;  "  the  poor  devil  ut- 
tered that  name  in  his  last  agony." 

"  Precisely,"  insisted  Father  Absinthe;  "and  he  de- 
clared that  he  wished  to  revenge  himself  upon  him. 
He  accused  him  of  having  drawn  him  into  a  trap.  Un- 
fortunately, death  cut  his  story  short." 

Lecoq  was  silent.  The  commissioner  of  police  had 
handed  him  the  letter,  and  he  was  studying  it  with  the 
closest  attention. 

The  paper  was  of  the  ordinary  kind ;  the  ink  was  blue. 
In  one  of  the  corners  was  a  half-effaced  mark,  upon 
which  one  could  distinguish  only  the  name:  Beau- 
marchais. 

This  was  enough  for  Lecoq. 

"  This  letter,"  he  thought,  "  was  certainly  written  in 


78  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

a  cafe  on  the  Boulevard  Beaumarchais.  In  which  one  ? 
I  will  find  out,  for  this  Lacheneur  must  be  found." 

While  the  men  of  the  prefecture  were  gathered 
around  the  commissioner,  holding  council  and  deliber- 
ating, the  physicians  began  their  delicate  and  disagree- 
able task. 

With  the  assistance  of  the  obliging  Father  Absinthe, 
they  removed  the  clothing  of  the  pretended  soldier,  and, 
bending  over  their  "  subject "  like  surgeons  in  the 
schools  of  anatomy,  with  sleeves  rolled  up,  they  exam- 
ined, inspected,  and  appraised  him  physically. 

Very  willingly  would  the  artist-doctor  have  dispensed 
with  these  formalities,  which  he  considered  very  ridicu- 
lous, and  entirely  unnecessary;  but  the  old  physician 
had  too  high  a  regard  for  his  profession,  and  for  the 
duty  he  had  been  called  upon  to  fulfil,  to  neglect  the 
slightest  detail. 

Minutely,  and  with  the  most  scrupulous  exactitude, 
he  noted  the  height  of  the  dead  man,  his  supposed  age, 
the  nature  of  his  temperament,  the  color  and  the  length 
of  his  hair,  and  the  degree  of  development  of  his  muscu- 
lar system. 

Then  they  passed  to  an  examination  of  the  wound. 

Lecoq  had  judged  correctly.  The  doctors  declared 
it  a  fracture  of  the  base  of  the  skull.  It  could,  they 
stated  in  their  report,  have  been  caused  only  by  the 
action  of  some  instrument  with  a  very  broad  surface, 
or  by  a  violent  knock  of  the  head  against  some  hard 
substance  of  considerable  magnitude. 

But  no  weapon,  other  than  the  revolver,  had  been 
found ;  and  that  was  not  heavy  enough  to  produce  such 
a  wound. 

There  must,  then,  necessarily,  have  been  a  hand-to- 
hand  struggle  between  the  pretended  soldier  and  the 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  79 

murderer;  and  the  latter,  seizing  his  adversary  by  the 
throat,  had  dashed  him  violently  against  the  wall. 

The  presence  of  very  tiny  and  very  numerous  spots 
of  extravasated  blood  about  the  neck  made  these  con- 
clusions extremely  plausible. 

They  did  not  find  any  other  wound,  not  a  bruise,  not 
a  scratch — nothing! 

Hence,  it  was  evident  that  this  terrible  struggle  must 
have  been  exceedingly  short. 

Between  the  moment  when  the  squad  of  police  had 
heard  the  shrieks  and  the  moment  when  Lecoq  had 
peered  through  the  shutter  and  seen  the  victim  fall,  this 
slaughter  must  have  been  consummated. 

The  examination  of  the  other  murdered  men  required 
different,  but  even  greater,  precautions. 

Their  position  had  been  respected;  they  were  still  ly- 
ing across  the  hearth  as  they  had  fallen,  and  their  atti- 
tude was  a  matter  of  great  importance,  since  it  would 
have  an  important  bearing  on  the  case. 

And  this  attitude  was  such  that  one  could  not  fail  to 
be  impressed  with  the  idea  that  their  death  had  been  in- 
stantaneous. 

Both  of  them  were  stretched  out  upon  their  backs, 
their  limbs  extended  and  their  hands  wide  open. 

No  contraction,  no  torsion  of  the  muscles,  no  trace 
of  combat,  they  had  been  taken  unawares. 

The  faces  of  both  men  expressed  the  most  intense 
fear.  One  might  suppose,  if  he  believed  the  theory  of 
Devergie,  that  the  last  sentiment  they  had  experienced 
in  life  had  been  neither  anger  nor  hatred,  but  terror. 

"  Thus,"  said  the  old  doctor,  "  we  may  reasonably 
suppose  that  they  must  have  been  stupefied  by  some 
entirely  unexpected,  strange,  and  frightful  spectacle. 
This  terrified  expression,  written  upon  their  faces,  I 


8o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

have  noticed  more  than  once  upon  the  features  of  a 
woman  who  suddenly  died  from  the  shock  she  experi- 
enced in  seeing  one  of  her  neighbors  enter  her  house  to 
play  a  trick  upon  her,  disguised  as  a  phantom." 

Lecoq  drank  in  these  explanations  given  by  the  phy- 
sicians, and  tried  to  make  them  cqnform  to  the  vague 
hypotheses  that  were  revolving  in  his  own  brain. 

But  who  could  these  individuals  be?  Would  they  in 
death  guard  the  secret  of  their  identity,  as  the  other  vic- 
tim had  done? 

The  first  subject  examined  by  the  physicians  was 
over  fifty  years  of  age.  His  hair  was  very  thin  and 
quite  gray;  his  face  was  closely  shaven,  except  for  a 
thick  tuft  of  hair  that  decorated  his  rather  prominent 
chin. 

He  was  very  poorly  clad  in  pantaloons  that  hung  in 
rags  over  boots  which  were  trodden  down  at  the  heel, 
and  in  a  much  soiled  woollen  blouse. 

The  old  doctor  declared  that  this  man  must  have 
been  instantly  killed  by  a  bullet;  the  size  of  the  circular 
wound,  the  absence  of  blood  around  its  edge,  and  the 
blackened  and  burnt  flesh  demonstrated  this  fact  with 
almost  mathematical  precision. 

The  great  difference  in  the  wounds  made  by  fire- 
arms, according  to  the  distance  from  which  the  death- 
dealing  missile  conies,  was  seen  when  the  physicians 
began  the  autopsy  of  the  last  of  the  unfortunates. 

The  ball  that  had  caused  his  death  had  scarcely  trav- 
ersed a  yard  of  space  before  it  reached  him,  and  his 
wound  was  not  nearly  so  hideous  in  aspect  as  the  other. 

This  individual,  who  was  at  least  fifteen  years 
younger  than  his  companion,  was  small  and  remarka- 
bly ugly. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  81 

His  entirely  beardless  face  was  everywhere  scarred 
by  the  smallpox. 

His  garb  was  such  as  is  worn  by  the  worst  denizens 
of  the  barriere.  His  trousers  were  of  gray  checked 
material,  and  his  blouse  was  turned  back  en  revers  at  the 
throat.  His  boots  had  been  blackened.  The  little 
glazed  cap  that  lay  on  the  floor  beside  him  was  in  har- 
mony with  his  pretentious  coiffure  and  his  gaudy  cra- 
vat. 

But  these  were  all  the  facts  that  the  physician's  report 
set  forth  in  technical  terms ;  this  was  all  the  information 
that  had  been  obtained  by  the  most  careful  investiga- 
tion. 

Vainly  the  pockets  of  the  two  men  had  been  explored 
and  turned  inside  out;  they  contained  nothing  that 
would  give  the  slightest  clew  to  their  personality,  to 
their  name,  to  their  social  position,  or  to  their  profes- 
sion. 

Not  even  the  slightest  indication — not  a  letter,  not  an 
address,  not  a  fragment  of  paper;  nothing — not  even 
the  common  articles  of  personal  use,  such  as  a  tobacco- 
box,  a  knife,  a  pipe  which  might  be  recognized,  and 
thus  establish  the  identity  of  its  owner. 

Some  tobacco  in  a  paper  bag,  some  pocket-handker- 
chiefs that  were  unmarked,  some  rolls  of  cigarettes — 
these  were  all  that  had  been  discovered. 

The  elder  man  had  sixty-seven  francs  about  him;  the 
younger,  two  louis. 

Rarely  had  the  police  found  themselves  in  the  pres- 
ence of  so  terrible  an  affair,  without  some  slight  clew  to 
guide  them. 

With  the  exception  of  the  fact  itself,  proved  only  too 
well  by  the  bodies  of  the  three  victims,  they  were  igno- 
rant of  everything  connected  with  it,  of  the  circum- 


82  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

stances  and  of  the  motive,  and  the  probabilities,  instead 
of  dissipating  the  uncertainty,  only  augmented  it. 

Certainly  they  might  hope,  by  the  aid  of  time,  stren- 
uous effort,  and  the  powerful  means  of  investigation 
which  they  have  at  their  disposal,  to  finally  arrive  at  the 
truth. 

But,  meanwhile,  all  was  mystery — so  much  so  that 
they  could  not  even  say  who  was  to  blame. 

The  murderer  had  been  arrested ;  but,  if  he  persisted 
in  his  obstinacy,  how  were  they  to  ascertain  his  name? 
He  protested  his  innocence;  how  were  they  to  furnish 
any  proofs  of  his  guilt? 

They  knew  nothing  in  regard  to  the  victims ;  and  one 
of  them  had  with  his  dying  breath  accused  himself. 

An  inexplicable  influence  tied  the  tongue  of  the 
Widow  Chupin. 

Two  women,  one  of  whom  had  lost  an  ear-ring  valued 
at  five  thousand  francs,  had  witnessed  the  struggle — 
then  disappeared.  An  accomplice,  after  two  acts  of 
unheard-of  audacity,  had  made  his  escape. 

And  all  these  people — the  women,  the  murderer,  the 
keeper  of  the  saloon,  the  accomplice,  and  the  victims — 
were  equally  strange  and  mysterious,  equally  suspected 
of  not  being  what  they  seemed  to  be. 

Perhaps  the  commissioner  thought  he  would  spend 
a  very  unpleasant  quarter  of  an  hour  at  the  prefecture 
when  he  reported  the  case.  Certainly  he  spoke  of  his 
impressions  on  the  subject  in  a  very  despondent  tone. 

"  It  will  now  be  best,"  he  said  at  last,  "  to  transport 
these  three  bodies  to  the  morgue.  There  they  will 
doubtless  be  identified." 

He  reflected  a  moment,  then  added : 

"  And  to  think  that  one  of  these  dead  men  is  perhaps 
Lacheneur  himself!  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  83 

"  That  is  scarcely  possible,"  said  Lecoq.  "  The  dis- 
guised soldier,  being-  the  last  to  die,  had  seen  his  com- 
panions fall.  If  he  had  supposed  Lacheneur  dead,  he 
would  not  have  spoken  of  vengeance." 

Gevrol,  who  for  the  past  two  hours  had  pretended  to 
pay  no  attention  to  the  proceedings,  now  approached. 
He  was  not  the  man  to  yield  even  to  the  strongest  evi- 
dence. 

"  If  Monsieur  le  Commissaire  will  listen  to  me,  he 
shall  hear  my  opinion,  which  is  a  trifle  more  definite 
than  Monsieur  Lecoq's  fancies." 

The  sound  of  wheels  before  the  door  of  the  cabin  in- 
terrupted him,  and  an  instant  after  the  judge  of  instruc- 
tion* entered  the  room. 


CHAPTER  X 

There  was  not  a  person  in  the  Poivriere  who  did  not 
know,  at  least  by  sight,  the  judge  who  had  just  entered, 
and  Gevrol,  an  old  habitue  of  the  Palais  de  Justice, 
murmured  his  name: 

"  Monsieur  Maurice  d'Escorval." 

He  was  the  son  of  that  famous  Baron  d'Escorval, 
who,  in  1815,  sealed  his  devotion  to  the  empire  with  his 
blood,  and  upon  whom  Napoleon,  at  St.  Helena,  pro- 
nounced this  magnificent  eulogium: 

"  Men  as  honest  as  he  may,  I  believe,  exist;  but  more 
honest,  no,  it  is  not  possible." 

Having  entered  upon  his  duties  as  magistrate  early 

*  In  French  law,  the  term  "  instruction"  is  applied  to  the  investi- 
gation and  preparation  of  a  case  for  trial. 

And  the  judge  of  instruction  is  the  official  charged  with  collecting 
proofs  and  testimony,  and  in  preparing  the  case  for  presentation  to 
the  court. 


84  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

in  life,  and  being  endowed  with  a  remarkable  talent  for 
his  vocation,  it  had  been  supposed  that  he  would  rise 
to  the  most  exalted  rank  in  his  profession.  But  he  had 
disappointed  such  prognostications  by  resolutely  refus- 
ing all  the  more  elevated  positions  that  men  offered  to 
him,  in  order  to  continue  his  modest  but  useful  func- 
tions in  the  tribunal  of  the  Seine. 

To  explain  his  refusals,  he  said  that  life  in  Paris  had 
more  charms  for  him  than  the  most  enviable  advance- 
ment. But  it  was  hard  to  understand  this  declaration 
on  his  part,  for  in  spite  of  his  brilliant  connections  and 
large  fortune,  he  had,  since  the  death  of  his  eldest 
brother,  led  a  most  retired  existence,  concealing  his  life, 
or  revealing  it  only  by  his  untiring  labors  and  the  good 
he  did  to  those  around  him. 

He  was  now  about  forty-two  years  of  age,  but  ap- 
peared much  younger,  although  furrows  were  begin- 
ning to  show  themselves  upon  his  forehead. 

One  would  have  admired  his  face,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  puzzling  immobility  that  marred  its  beauty,  the 
sarcastic  curl  of  the  thin  lips,  and  the  gloomy  expres- 
sion of  his  pale-blue  eyes. 

To  say  that  he  was  cold  and  grave  did  not  express 
the  truth ;  it  was  saying  too  little.  He  was  gravity  and 
coldness  personified,  with  a  shade  of  hauteur  added. 

Impressed  by  the  horror  of  the  scene  the  instant  he 
placed  his  foot  upon  the  threshold,  M.  d'Escorval  ac- 
knowledged the  presence  of  the  physicians  and  the  com- 
missioner only  by  an  abstracted  nod  of  the  head.  The 
others  in  the  room  had  no  existence  so  far  as  he  was 
concerned. 

Already  his  faculties  were  at  work.  He  studied  the 
ground,  and  carefully  noted  all  the  surroundings  with 
the  attentive  sagacity  of  a  judge  who  realizes  the  im- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  85 

mense  weight  of  even  the  slightest  detail,  and  who 
understands  the  eloquence  of  circumstantial  evidence. 

"  It  is  a  serious  affair,"  he  said,  gravely;  "  very  seri- 
ous." 

The  commissioner's  only  response  was  to  lift  his  eyes 
to  heaven.  A  gesture  that  said  very  plainly: 

"  I  am  quite  in  accord  with  you!  " 

The  fact  is,  that  for  the  past  two  hours  the  worthy 
commissioner's  responsibility  had  weighed  heavily 
upon  him,  and  he  secretly  blessed  the  judge  for  reliev- 
ing him  of  it. 

"  The  government  solicitor  was  unable  to  accompany 
me,"  resumed  M.  d'Escorval;  "he  has  not  the  gift  of 
omnipresence,  and  I  doubt  if  it  is  possible  for  him  to 
join  me  here.  Let  us,  therefore,  begin  operations  at 
once." 

The  curiosity  of  those  present  was  becoming  unen- 
durable ;  and  the  commissioner  only  expressed  the  gen- 
eral feeling  when  he  said : 

"  You,  sir,  have  undoubtedly  questioned  the  mur- 
derer, and  have  learned " 

"  I  have  learned  nothing,"  interrupted  M.  d'Escor- 
val, apparently  much  astonished  at  the  interruption. 

He  seated  himself,  and  while  his  clerk  was  busy  in 
authenticating  the  commissioner's  proces-verbal,  he 
began  the  perusal  of  the  report  written  by  Lecoq. 

Pale,  agitated,  and  nervous,  that  young  policeman, 
hidden  in  a  remote  corner,  tried  to  read  upon  the  im- 
passive face  of  the  magistrate  the  impression  produced 
by  the  document. 

It  was  his  future  that  was  at  stake — that  depended 
upon  this  man's  approval  or  disapproval. 

It  was  not  with  a  stupid  mind  like  that  of  Father  Ab- 


86  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

sinthe  that  he  had  to  deal  now,  but  with  a  superior  in- 
telligence. 

"  If  I  could  only  plead  my  own  cause,"  he  thought. 
"  What  are  cold  written  phrases  in  comparison  with 
spoken,  living  words,  palpitating  with  emotion  and 
with  the  convictions  of  the  soul  that  utters  them?  " 

But  he  was  soon  reassured. 

The  face  of  the  judge  retained  its  immobility,  but  he 
nodded  his  head  in  token  of  approval,  and  occasionally 
some  point  more  ingenious  than  the  others  extorted 
from  his  lips  the  exclamation:  "Not  bad!  very 
good!" 

When  he  had  finished  its  perusal: 

"  All  this,"  he  remarked  to  the  commissioner,  "  is 
quite  unlike  your  report  of  this  morning,  which  repre- 
sented this  mysterious  affair  as  a  low  broil  between 
some  miserable  vagabonds." 

This  observation  was  only  too  just;  and  the  commis- 
sioner deeply  regretted  that  he  had  trusted  to  the  repre- 
sentations of  Gevrol,  and  remained  warm  in  bed. 

"  This  morning,"  he  responded,  evasively,  "  I  only 
gave  my  first  impressions.  These  have  been  modified 
by  subsequent  researches,  so  that " 

"  Oh ! "  interrupted  the  judge,  "  I  did  not  intend  to 
reproach  you;  on  the  contrary,  I  must  congratulate 
you.  One  could  not  have  done  better  nor  acted  more 
promptly.  All  this  instruction  shows  great  penetration 
and  research,  and  the  results  are  given  with  unusual 
clearness  and  wonderful  precision." 

Lecoq's  head  whirled. 

The  commissioner  hesitated  for  an  instant. 

He  was  sorely  tempted  to  confiscate  this  praise  to 
his  own  profit. 

If  he  drove  away  the  unworthy  thought,  it  was  be- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  87 

cause  he  was  an  honest  man;  and  more  than  that,  be- 
cause it  did  not  displease  him  to  have  an  opportunity  to 
do  Gevrol  a  bad  turn  and  punish  him  for  his  presumpt- 
uous folly. 

"  I  must  confess,"  he  said,  with  some  hesitation, 
"  that  the  honor  of  this  investigation  does  not  belong 
to  me." 

"  To  whom,  then,  shall  I  attribute  it,  if  not  to  the  in- 
spector ?  "  thought  M.  d'Escorval,  nor  without  surprise ; 
for  having  occasionally  employed  Gevrol,  he  did  not 
expect  from  him  such  ingenuity  and  sagacity  as  was 
displayed  in  this  report. 

"  Is  it  you,  then,  who  have  conducted  this  investiga- 
tion so  ably?  "  he  demanded. 

"  Upon  my  word,  no!  "  responded  Inspector  Gevrol. 
"  I,  myself,  am  not  so  clever  as  all  that.  I  content 
myself  with  telling  only  what  I  discover;  and  I  say: 
'  Here  it  is ! '  May  I  be  hung  if  the  grounds  of  this 
report  exist,  except  in  the  brain  of  the  man  who  has 
made  it." 

Perhaps  he  really  believed  his  assertion,  being  one 
of  those  persons  who  are  blinded  by  vanity  to  such  a 
degree  that,  with  the  most  convincing  evidence  before 
their  eyes,  they  deny  it. 

"  Yet,"  insisted  the  judge,  "  these  women  whose  foot- 
prints were  left  here  have  existed.  The  accomplice 
who  left  the  bits  of  wool  upon  the  plank  is  a  real  being. 
This  ear-ring  is  a  positive,  palpable  proof." 

Gevrol  had  hard  work  to  refrain  from  shrugging  his 
shoulders. 

"  All  this  can  be  satisfactorily  explained  without  a 
search  of  twelve  or  fourteen  hours.  That  the  mmderer 
had  an  accomplice  is  possible.  The  presence  ( f  the 
women  is  very  natural.  Wherever  there  are  men 


88  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

thieves,  you  will  find  women  thieves.  As  for  the  dia- 
mond— what  does  that  prove?  That  the  scoundrels 
had  just  met  with  a  streak  of  good  luck,  that  they  had 
come  here  to  divide  their  booty,  and  that  the  quarrel 
arose  from  the  division." 

This  was  an  explanation,  and  such  a  plausible  one, 
that  M.  d'Escorval  was  silent,  reflecting  before  he  an- 
nounced his  decision. 

"  Decidedly,"  he  declared,  at  last,  "  decidedly,  I 
adopt  the  hypothesis  set  forth  in  the  report.  Who  is 
the  author  of  it?" 

Anger  made  Gevrol's  face  as  red  as  a  lobster. 

"  The  author  is  one  of  my  men,"  he  replied;  "  a  very 
clever  and  adroit  man — Monsieur  Lecoq.  Come  for- 
ward, Lecoq,  that  the  judge  may  see  you." 

The  young  man  advanced,  his  lips  tightly  com- 
pressed to  conceal  a  smile  of  satisfaction. 

"  My  report  is  only  a  summary,  Monsieur,"  he  be- 
gan ;  "  but  I  have  certain  ideas " 

"  Which  you  will  tell  me  when  I  ask  for  them,"  inter- 
rupted the  judge. 

And  oblivious  of  Lecoq's  chagrin,  he  took  from  the 
portfolio  of  his  clerk  two  forms,  which  he  filled  up  and 
handed  to  Gevrol,  saying: 

"Here  are  two  orders;  take  them  to  the  station- 
house,  where  the  accused  and  the  mistress  of  this  cabin 
are  confined,  and  have  them  conducted  to  the  perfect- 
ure,  where  they  will  be  privately  examined." 

When  he  had  given  these  directions,  M.  d'Escorval 
was  turning  toward  the  physicians,  when  Lecoq,  at  the 
risk  of  a  second  rebuff,  interposed. 

"  May  I  venture,"  he  asked,  "  to  beg  Monsieur  to 
confide  this  mission  to  me?  " 

"  Impossible;  I  may  have  need  of  you  here." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  89 

"  I  desired,  Monsieur,  to  collect  certain  evidence,  and 
an  opportunity  to  do  so  may  not  present  itself  again." 

The  judge,  perhaps,  fathomed  the  young  man's  mo- 
tive. 

"  So  be  it,"  he  replied;  "  but  after  your  task  is  com- 
pleted you  will  await  me  at  the  prefecture,  where  I  shall 
go  as  soon  as  I  have  finished  here.     Go." 
•      Lecoq  did  not  wait  for  him  to  repeat  the  order.    He 
snatched  up  the  papers  and  hastened  away. 

He  did  not  run ;  he  flew  over  the  ground.  He  no 
longer  experienced  any  fatigue  from  the  labors  of  the 
preceding  night.  Never  had  he  felt  so  strong  and  alert 
in  body,  so  strong  and  clear  in  mind. 

He  was  hopeful  of  success.  He  had  confidence  in 
himself,  and  he  would  have  been  perfectly  happy  if  he 
could  have  had  another  judge  to  deal  with.  But  M. 
d'Escorval  overawed  and  froze  him  to  such  a  degree 
that  his  mind  seemed  absolutely  paralyzed  in  his  pres- 
ence. With  what  a  disdainful  glance  he  had  surveyed 
him!  With  what  an  imperious  tone  he  had  imposed 
silence  upon  him — and  that,  too,  when  he  had  found  his 
work  deserving  of  commendation. 

"  But  nonsense!  "  he  mentally  exclaimed;  "  does  one 
ever  taste  perfect  happiness  here  below?  " 

And  he  hurried  on. 

CHAPTER  XI 

When,  after  a  rapid  walk  of  twenty  minutes,  Lecoq 
reached  the  police-station  of  the  Barriere  dTtalie,  the 
keeper,  with  his  pipe  in  his  mouth,  was  pacing  slowly 
to  and  fro  before  the  guard-house. 

By  his  thoughtful  air,  and  by  the  anxious  glance  that 
he  cast  now  and  then  upon  the  little  grated  window, 


90  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

any  passer-by  might  have  known  that  the  keeper  had 
at  that  moment  a  very  rare  bird  in  his  cage. 

As  soon  as  he  recognized  Lecoq,  his  brow  cleared, 
and  he  paused  in  his  promenade. 

"  Ah,  well!  "  he  inquired;  "  what  news?  " 

"  I  bring  an  order  to  conduct  the  prisoners  to  the 
prefecture." 

The  keeper  rubbed  his  hands,  evidently  relieved. 

"  Very  well !  very  well !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  The  Black 
Maria  will  pass  here  in  less  than  an  hour;  we  will  throw 
them  in,  and  hurry  the  coachman  off " 

Lecoq  was  obliged  to  interrupt  his  transports  of  sat- 
isfaction. 

"  Are  the  prisoners  alone  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  Entirely  alone^  the  woman  on  her  side  of  the  hall, 
the  man  on  the  other.  This  has  been  a  remarkably 
quiet  night;  a  shrove  Sunday  night,  too!  It  is  surpris- 
ing. It  is  true  that  your  hunt  was  interrupted." 

"  You  have  had  a  drunken  man  here,  however." 

"  No — yes — that  is  a  fact — this  morning,  just  at  day- 
break. A  poor  devil,  who  is  under  a  great  obligation 
to  Gevrol." 

The  involuntary  irony  of  this  remark  must  have 
awakened  Lecoq's  regrets. 

"  Under  a  great  obligation,  indeed!  "  said  he,  approv- 
ingly, and  with  a  laugh. 

"  Although  you  seem  inclined  to  laugh,  such  is  really 
the  case;  had  it  not  been  for  Gevrol  the  man  would  cer- 
tainly have  been  run  over." 

"  And  what  has  become  of  him?  " 

The  keeper  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"Ah!"  he  responded.  "You  ask  me  too  much. 
He  was  a  very  worthy  man,  who  had  been  spending  the 
night  at  the  house  of  one  of  his  friends,  and  on  coming 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  91 

out  into  the  air,  the  wine  flew  to  his  head.  He  told  us 
all  about  it  when  he  became  sober,  which  was  in  the 
course  of  half  an  hour.  I  have  never  seen  a  man  so 
vexed.  He  wept  and  said,  again  and  again :  "  The 
father  of  a  family,  and  at  my  age !  Oh !  it  is  shameful ! 
What  shall  I  say  to  my  wife?  What  will  the  children 
think?  " 

"  Did  he  talk  much  about  his  wife?" 

"  He  talked  about  nothing  else.  He  even  mentioned 
her  name — Eudosia,  Leocadie,  or  some  name  of  that 
sort.  He  thought,  poor  man,  that  he  was  ruined,  and 
that  we  would  keep  him  here.  He  asked  us  to  send  for 
the  commissioner,  to  go  to  his  house.  When  we  set 
him  free,  I  thought  he  would  go  mad  with  joy;  he 
kissed  our  hands,  and  he  paid  his  score.  Ah!  he  did 
not  even  stop  to  ask  for  his  change! " 

"  And  did  you  place  him  in  the  cage  with  the  mur- 
derer? "  inquired  Lecoq. 

"  Certainly." 

"  They  have  talked  with  each  other  then." 

"  Talked!  The  man  was  so  drunk,  I  tell  you,  that  he 
could  not  have  said  '  bread.'  When  he  was  deposited 
in  the  cell,  pouf !  he  fell  like  a  log.  As  soon  as  he  re- 
covered we  let  him  out.  No,  they  did  not  talk  to  each 
other." 

The  young  policeman  had  become  very  thoughtful. 

"  It  was,  indeed,  so!  "  he  murmured. 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"  Nothing." 

Lecoq  was  not  inclined  to  communicate  his  reflec- 
tions to  the  keeper  of  the  guard-house.  They  were  by 
no  means  agreeable. 

"  I  was  right,"  he  thought;  "  this  pretended  drunken 
man  was  none  other  than  the  accomplice,  and  he  has  as 


92  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

much  adroitness  as  he  has  audacity  and  coolness. 
While  we  were  following  his  footprints  he  was  watch- 
ing us.  We  went  away  and  he  was  bold  enough  to 
enter  the  hovel.  Then  he  came  here  and  compelled 
them  to  arrest  him;  and  thanks  to  an  assumption  of 
childish  simplicity,  he  succeeded  in  finding  an  oppor- 
tunity to  speak  to  the  murderer.  How  perfectly  he  has 
played  his  role.  But  I  know  that  he  played  a  part,  and 
that  is  something.  I  know  that  it  will  be  necessary  to 
believe  exactly  the  opposite  of  what  he  said.  He 
talked  of  his  family,  of  his  wife,  of  his  children — hence, 
he  has  neither  children,  wife,  nor  family." 

He  checked  himself  suddenly ;  he  had  forgotten,  this 
was  not  the  time  to  become  absorbed  in  conjectures. 

"  What  kind  of  a  looking  man  was  this  drunkard  ?  " 
he  inquired. 

"  He  was  tall  and  very  large,  had  a  ruddy  complex- 
ion, white  whiskers,  a  full  face,  small  eyes,  a  broad,  flat 
nose,  and  a  good-natured,  jovial  manner." 

"  How  old  would  you  suppose  him  to  be?  " 

"  From  forty  to  fifty  years  of  age." 

"  Did  you  form  any  idea  of  his  profession?  " 

"  Ma  foil  the  man  with  his  soft  cap  and  his  heavy 
brown  overcoat  must  be  the  keeper  of  some  little  shop, 
or  a  clerk." 

Having  obtained  this  sufficiently  exact  description, 
which  accorded  perfectly  with  the  result  of  his  investi- 
gations, Lecoq  was  about  to  enter  the  station-house 
when  a  sudden  thought  brought  him  instantly  to  a 
stand-still. 

"  I  hope,  at  least,  that  this  man  has  had  no  communi- 
cation with  the  Widow  Chupin !  " 

The  keeper  laughed  heartily. 

"  How  could  he  have  had  any?  "  he  responded.    "  Is 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  93 

not  the  old  woman  alone  in  her  cell?  Ah,  the  old 
wretch!  There  has  not  been  a  moment  that  she  was 
not  cursing  and  threatening  us.  No,  never  in  my  whole 
life  have  I  heard  such  language  as  she  has  used !  It  was 
enough  to  make  the  very  stones  blush ;  even  the 
drunken  man  was  so  shocked  that  he  went  to  speak  to 
her  through  the  opening  in  the  door,  and  to  tell  her  to 
be  quiet." 

The  young  man's  gesture  was  so  expressive  of  impa- 
tience and  wrath  that  the  keeper  paused,  much  per- 
turbed. 

"  What  is  the  matter?  "  he  stammered.  "  Why  are 
you  angry?  " 


"  Because,"  replied  Lecoq,  furiously,  "  because- 


And  not  wishing  to  disclose  the  real  cause  of  his 
anger,  he  entered  the  station-house,  saying  that  he 
wished  to  see  the  prisoner. 

Left  alone,  the  keeper  began  to  swear  in  his  turn. 

"  These  agents  of  police  are  all  alike,"  he  grumbled. 
"  They  question  you,  you  tell  them  all  they  desire  to 
know ;  and  afterward,  if  you  venture  to  ask  them  any- 
thing, they  reply :  '  nothing/  or  '  because/  They  have 
too  much  authority;  it  makes  them  proud." 

Looking  through  the  judas,  a  little  latticed  window 
in  the  door,  through  which  the  men  on  guard  watch 
the  prisoners,  Lecoq  eagerly  examined  the  appearance 
of  the  murderer. 

He  was  obliged  to  ask  himself  if  this  was  really  the 
same  man  whom  he  had  seen  some  hours  previous  at 
the  Poivriere,  standing  upon  the  threshold,  holding  the 
squad  in  check  by  the  intense  fury  of  his  hate,  by  his 
proud  forehead,  his  sparkling  eyes,  and  his  trembling 
lip. 


94  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Now  his  whole  person  betrayed  a  pitiable  weakness, 
utter  despondency,  gloom  and  despair. 

He  was  seated  on  a  bench  opposite  the  judas,  with 
his  elbows  on  his  knees,  and  his  chin  resting  upon  his 
hand,  his  eyes  fixed  upon  vacancy,  his  lower  lip  hang- 
ing. 

"  No,"  murmured  Lecoq,  "  no,  this  man  is  not  what 
he  seems  to  be." 

He  had  looked  at  him;  he  now  wished  to  speak  to 
him.  He  entered;  the  man  raised  his  head,  threw  an 
expressionless  glance  upon  him,  but  did  not  say  a  word. 

"  Well,"  demanded  the  young  officer,  "  how  goes 
it?" 

"  I  am  innocent!  "  responded  the  man,  in  a  hoarse, 
discordant  voice. 

"  I  hope  so,  I  am  sure ;  but  that  is  for  the  judge  to 
decide.  I  came  to  see  if  you  did  not  need  something." 

"  No." 

A  second  later  the  murderer  changed  his  mind. 

"  If  it  is  all  the  same  to  you,  I  would  like  a  crust  and 
a  drink  of  wine." 

"  They  shall  bring  it  to  you,"  replied  Lecoq. 

He  went  out  immediately  to  forage  in  the  neighbor- 
hood for  eatables  of  some  sort.  He  was  impressed  with 
the  idea  that  in  demanding  a  drink  after  a  refusal,  the 
man  had  thought  only  of  carrying  out  his  resemblance 
to  the  kind  of  man  he  pretended  to  be. 

Whoever  he  might  be,  the  murderer  ate  with  an  ex- 
cellent appetite.  He  then  took  up  the  large  glass  of 
wine,  drained  it  slowly,  and  said: 

"  It  is  good!     There  can  be  nothing  to  beat  that!  " 

This  satisfaction  disappointed  Lecoq.  He  had  se- 
lected, as  a  test,  one  of  those  horribly  thick,  bluish, 
nauseous  mixtures  which  are  in  vogue  around  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  95 

barriere,  and  he  expected  some  sign  of  dislike  from 
the  murderer. 

And  there  was  none  whatever.  But  he  had  not  time 
to  seek  the  conclusions  to  be  drawn  from  this  fact.  The 
sound  of  wheels  announced  the  arrival  of  that  lugubri- 
ous vehicle,  the  Black  Maria. 

It  was  necessary  to  place  the  Widow  Chupin  in  the 
vehicle  by  main  force.  She  fought  and  scratched  and 
cried  "Murder!"  with  all  her  strength.  Then  the 
assassin  was  requested  to  take  his  place  in  the  carriage. 

Now,  at  least,  the  young  policeman  counted  upon 
some  manifestation  of  repugnance,  and  he  watched  the 
prisoner  closely.  None!  The  man  entered  the  fright- 
ful vehicle  in  the  most  unconcerned  manner,  and  took 
possession  of  his  compartment  like  an  old  habitue,  who 
knows  the  most  comfortable  position  to  assume  in  such 
close  quarters. 

"Ah!  this  is  an  unfortunate  morning,"  murmured 
Lecoq,  much  disappointed;  "  but  I  will  lie  in  wait  for 
him  at  the  prefecture." 

CHAPTER  XII 

When  the  door  of  the  prison-van  had  been  securely 
closed,  the  driver  cracked  his  whip,  and  the  strong 
horses  started  off  on  a  brisk  trot. 

Lecoq  had  taken  his  seat  in  front,  between  the  driver 
and  the  guard;  but  his  mind  was  so  engrossed  with  his 
own  thoughts  that  he  heard  nothing  of  their  conversa- 
tion, which  was  very  jovial,  although  it  was  frequently 
disturbed  by  the  shrill  voice  of  the  Widow  Chupin,  who 
sang  and  yelled  her  imprecations  alternately. 

Lecoq  was  trying  his  best  to  discover  a  method  by 
which  he  could  surprise  some  clew  to  the  secret  which 


96  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

this  murderer  hid  so  cleverly,  for  he  was  still  convinced 
that  the  prisoner  must  belong  to  the  higher  ranks  of 
society. 

That  this  pretender  had  succeeded  in  feigning  an  ap- 
petite, that  he  had  concealed  his  distaste  for  a  nauseous 
beverage,  that  he  had  entered  the  Black  Maria  without 
hesitation,  was  nothing  extraordinary  after  all,  in  a  man 
who  was  endowed  with  much  strength  of  will,  when  he 
realized  the  imminence  of  his  peril,  and  when  his  powers 
of  endurance  were  increased  tenfold  by  the  hope  of  sal- 
vation. 

But  would  he  be  able  to  hide  his  feelings  as  well  when 
he  was  obliged  to  submit  to  the  humiliating  formalities 
that  awaited  him — formalities  which,  in  certain  cases, 
can,  and  must  be,  pushed  even  to  the  verge  of  insult 
and  outrage? 

No;  Lecoq  could  not  believe  that  this  would  be  pos- 
sible. 

He  was  very  sure  that  the  horror  that  would  be  in- 
spired in  the  prisoner's  mind  by  the  disgrace,  and  by  the 
violation  of  all  delicacy  of  feeling,  would  cause  the  man 
to  revolt,  to  lose  his  self-control,  and  draw  from  him 
some  word  that  would  give  the  desired  clew. 

It  was  not  until  the  gloomy  vehicle  had  left  the  Pont- 
Neur  to  take  the  Quai  de  1'Horloge,  that  the  young  de- 
tective became  conscious  of  what  was  passing  around 
him.  Soon  the  van  turned  into  a  gate-way,  and 
stopped  in  a  small,  damp  court-yard. 

Lecoq  was  instantly  on  the  ground.  He  opened  the 
door  of  the  compartment  in  which  the  murderer  was 
confined,  and  said: 

"  We  are  here;  descend." 

There  was  no  danger  that  the  prisoner  would  escape. 
The  iron  gate  had  been  closed,,  and  at  least  a  dozen  po- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  9? 

licemen  and  agents  were  standing  near,  anxious  to  see 
the  harvest  of  the  previous  night. 

When  the  door  was  opened,  the  murderer  slowly 
stepped  down  from  the  vehicle. 

His  expression  did  not  change  in  the  least.  His  face 
evinced  the  perfect  indifference  of  a  man  accustomed  to 
such  ordeals. 

An  anatomist  studying  the  movement  of  a  muscle 
could  not  have  watched  with  a  closer  attention  than  Le- 
coq  bestowed  upon  the  attitude,  the  face,  and  the  aspect 
of  the  prisoner. 

When  the  prisoner's  foot  touched  the  pavement  of 
the  court-yard,  he  seemed  to  experience  a  sensation  of 
satisfaction;  he  drew  a  long  breath,  then  he  stretched 
himself,  and  shook  himself  violently,  as  if  to  regain  the 
elasticity  of  his  limbs,  cramped  by  confinement  in  the 
narrow  compartment  from  which  he  had  just  emerged. 

Then  he  glanced  about  him,  and  a  scarcely  percepti- 
ble smile  played  upon  his  lips. 

One  would  have  sworn  that  the  place  was  familiar  to 
him,  that  he  had  seen  before  these  high,  grim  walls, 
these  grated  windows,  these  heavy  doors — in  short,  all 
the  sinister  belongings  of  a  prison. 

"  Mon  Dieu! "  thought  Lecoq,  greatly  chagrined, 
"  does  he  indeed  recognize  the  place?  " 

The  young  man's  disquietude  increased  when  he  saw 
the  prisoner,  without  waiting  for  a  word,  for  a  motion, 
for  a  sign,  turn  toward  one  of  the  five  or  six  doors  that 
opened  upon  the  court-yard. 

He  walked  straight  to  the  one  he  was  expected  to 
enter — straight,  without  an  instant's  hesitation.  Was 
it  chance? 

His  amazement  and  disappointment  increased  tenfold 
when  he  saw  the  man,  after  entering  the  gloomy  corn- 


p8  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

dor,  walk  on  some  little  distance,  turn  to  the  left,  pass 
the  room  of  the  keeper,  and  enter  the  register's  office. 

An  old  offender  could  not  have  done  better. 

Lecoq  found  a  cold  sweat  break  out  upon  his  whole 
body. 

"  This  man,"  thought  he,  "  has  certainly  been  here 
before;  he  knows  the  ropes." 

The  register's  office  was  a  large  room,  badly  lighted 
by  small  windows,  whose  panes  were  covered  with  a 
thick  coating  of  dust,  and  heated  almost  to  suffocation 
by  an  immense  stove. 

There  sat  the  clerk  reading  a  paper  that  was  laid  over 
the  register — the  gloomy  register  in  which  are  inscribed 
the  names  of  all  those  whom  misconduct,  crime,  mis- 
fortune, madness,  or  error  have  brought  to  these  grim 
portals. 

Three  or  four  watchmen,  who  were  awaiting  the  hour 
for  entering  upon  their  duties,  were  half  asleep  upon 
the  wooden  benches  that  lined  three  sides  of  the  room. 

These  benches,  two  tables,  and  some  broken  chairs, 
constituted  the  furniture  of  the  office. 

In  one  corner  stood  a  measuring  machine,  under 
which  each  culprit  was  obliged  to  pass.  For  their  ex- 
act height  was  recorded,  in  order  that  the  description 
might  be  complete  in  every  respect. 

At  the  entrance  of  the  culprit  accompanied  by  Lecoq, 
the  clerk  raised  his  head. 

"  Ah !  "  said  he,  "  has  the  van  come  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  responded  Lecoq. 

And  extending  the  orders  signed  by  M.  d'Escorval, 
he  added: 

"  Here  are  the  papers  for  this  man." 

The  register  took  the  documents  and  read  them. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  99 

"  Oh !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  a  triple  assassination !  oh ! 
oh!" 

Positively  he  regarded  the  prisoner  with  great  con- 
sideration. This  was  not  a  common  culprit,  an  ordi- 
nary vagabond,  a  vulgar  thief. 

"  The  judge  orders  a  private  examination,"  he  contin- 
ued, "  and  I  must  get  him  other  clothing.  The  cloth- 
ing he  is  wearing  now  will  be  used  as  evidence.  Let 
someone  go  at  once  and  tell  the  superintendent  that  the 
other  occupants  of  the  carriage  must  wait.  I  will 
measure  this  man's  height  in  compliance  with  the 
rules." 

The  director  was  not  far  off,  and  he  soon  made  his 
appearance.  The  clerk  had  prepared  his  register. 

"  Your  name?  "  he  demanded  first. 

"  May." 

"  Your  first  name?  " 

"  I  have  none." 

"  What,  you  have  no  Christian  name?  " 

The  murderer  seemed  to  reflect  for  a  moment,  then 
he  said,  sulkily: 

"  I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  you  need  not  wear  your- 
self out  questioning  me:  I  shall  reply  only  to  the  judge. 
You  would  like  to  make  me  cut  my  own  throat, 
wouldn't  you?  It  is  a  very  clever  trick,  but  I  under- 
stand it." 

"  You  must  see  that  you  only  aggravate  your  situa- 
tion," observed  the  director. 

"  Not  in  the  least.  I  am  innocent;  you  wish  to  ruin 
me.  I  only  defend  myself.  Get  anything  more  out  of 
me  now,  if  you  can.  But  you  had  better  give  me  back 
the  money  that  they  took  from  me  at  the  station-house. 
One  hundred  and  thirty-six  francs,  eight  sous !  I  shall 
need  them  when  I  get  out  of  this  place.  I  wish  you  to 


ioo  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

make  a  note  of  them  on  the  register.  Where  are 
they?" 

The  money  had  been  given  to  Lecoq  by  the  keeper 
of  the  station-house,  who  had  found  it  upon  the  pris- 
oner, when  he  was  placed  in  his  custody.  Lecoq  depos- 
ited it  upon  the  table. 

"  Here  are  your  hundred  and  thirty-six  francs  and 
eight  sous,"  said  he,  "  and  also  your  knife,  your  hand- 
kerchief, and  four  cigars." 

An  expression  of  lively  contentment  was  discerni- 
ble on  the  prisoner's  features. 

"  Now,"  resumed  the  clerk,  "  will  you  answer?  " 

But  the  director  understood  the  uselessness  of  fur- 
ther insistence;  he  silenced  the  clerk  by  a  gesture,  and, 
addressing  the  prisoner,  he  said: 

"  Take  off  your  shoes." 

On  receiving  this  order,  Lecoq  thought  the  assassin's 
glance  wavered.  Was  it  only  a  fancy? 

"  Why  must  I  do  that?  "  he  demanded. 

"  To  pass  under  the  beam,"  responded  the  clerk. 
"  We  must  make  a  note  of  your  exact  height." 

The  prisoner  made  no  reply;  he  sat  down  and  drew 
off  his  heavy  leather  boots.  The  heel  of  the  right  one 
was  run  over  on  the  inside.  He  wore  no  stockings. 

"  You  do  not  wear  shoes  except  on  Sunday,  then?" 
inquired  Lecoq. 

"  Why  do  you  think  that?  " 

"  By  the  mud  with  which  your  feet  are  covered,  as 
high  as  the  ankle-bone." 

"  And  what  of  that  ?  "  exclaimed  the  man,  in  an  in- 
solent tone.  "  Is  it  a  crime  not  to  have  the  feet  of  a 
marquise?  " 

"  It  is  a  crime  of  which  you  are  not  .guilty,  at  all 
events,"  said  the  young  detective,  slowly.  "  Do  you 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  101 

think  that  I  cannot  see,  in  spite  of  the  mud,  that  your 
feet  are  white  and  neat?  The  nails  have  been  carefully 
cut  and  polished " 

He  paused.  A  lightning  flash  of  his  genius  for  in- 
vestigation traversed  his  brain. 

He  pushed  forward  a  chair,  laid  a  paper  upon  it,  and 
said: 

"  Will  you  place  your  foot  there?  " 

The  man  did  not  comply  with  the  request. 

"  Ah!  do  not  resist,"  insisted  the  director;  "  we  are  in 
force." 

The  prisoner  made  no  further  resistance.  He  placed 
his  foot  upon  the  chair,  as  he  had  been  ordered  to  do, 
and  Lecoq,  with  the  aid  of  a  knife,  proceeded  to  remove 
the  fragments  of  mud  that  adhered  to  the  skin. 

Anywhere  else,  they  would  have  laughed  at  such  an 
act,  so  mysterious,  strange  and  grotesque,  all  at  the 
same  time.  But  in  this  ante-chamber  of  the  court  of 
assizes,  the  most  trivial  acts  are  tinged  with  a  shade  of 
gloom;  a  laugh  is  easily  frozen  upon  the  lips,  and  one 
is  astonished  by  nothing. 

All  the  spectators,  from  the  director  down  to  the 
guards,  had  witnessed  many  other  incidents  equally  ab- 
surd; and  it  did  not  enter  the  mind  of  anyone  present 
to  inquire  the  detective's  motive. 

This  much  they  knew  already :  that  the  prisoner  was 
intending  to  conceal  his  identity,  that  it  was  necessary 
to  establish  it,  at  any  cost,  and  that  Lecoq  had  probably 
invented  some  method  of  attaining  this  end. 

Besides,  the  operation  was  soon  concluded;  and  Le- 
coq brushed  the  dust  from  the  paper  into  the  palm  of 
his  hand. 

This  dust  he  divided  into  two  parts.  One  portion 
he  enclosed  in  a  scrap  of  paper,  and  then  slipped  it  into 


io2  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

his  own  pocket;  the  other  package  he  handed  to  the 
director,  saying,  as  he  did  so : 

"  I  must  beg  you,  Monsieur,  to  receive  this  on  de- 
posit, and  to  seal  it  up  here,  in  the  presence  of  the  pris- 
oner. This  is  necessary,  that  he  may  not  claim  by-and- 
by  that  in  place  of  this  dust  other  has  been  substituted." 

The  superintendent  complied  with  the  request,  and 
as  he  placed  this  "  bit  of  proof "  (as  he  styled  it)  in  a 
small  satchel  for  safe-keeping,  the  murderer  shrugged 
his  shoulders  with  a  sneering  laugh. 

It  is  true  that  beneath  this  cynical  gayety  Lecoq 
thought  he  could  detect  poignant  anxiety. 

Chance  owed  him  the  compensation  of  this  slight  tri- 
umph; for  previous  events  had  deceived  all  his  calcula- 
tions. 

The  prisoner  did  not  offer  the  slightest  objection 
when  he  was  ordered  to  undress,  and  to  exchange  his 
soiled  and  blood-stained  garments  for  the  clothing 
furnished  by  the  government. 

Not  a  muscle  of  his  face  betrayed  the  secret  of  his 
soul,  while  he  submitted  his  person  to  one  of  those  ig- 
nominious examinations  which  make  the  blood  mount 
to  the  forehead  of  the  lowest  criminal. 

It  was  with  perfect  indifference  that  he  allowed  the 
inspector  to  comb  his  hair  and  his  beard,  and  to  exam- 
ine the  interior  of  his  mouth,  in  order  to  make  sure  that 
he  had  not  concealed  in  one  of  these  hiding-places  a 
fragment  of  glass,  by  the  aid  of  which  captives  can  sever 
the  strongest  bars;  or  one  of  those  microscopic  bits  of 
lead  that  prisoners  use  in  writing  the  notes  which  they 
exchange,  rolled  up  in  a  morsel  of  bread,  and  which 
they  call  "  postilions." 

These  formalities  having  been  concluded,  the  super- 
intendent rang  for  one  of  the  guard. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  103 

"  Conduct  this  man  to  No.  3  of  the  secret  cells,"  he 
ordered. 

There  was  no  need  to  drag  the  prisoner  away.  He 
went  out,  as  he  had  entered,  preceding  the  guard,  like 
an  old  habitue,  who  knows  where  he  is  going. 

"  What  a  rascal !  "  exclaimed  the  clerk. 

"  Then  you  think — "  began  Lecoq,  baffled,  but  not 
convinced. 

"  Ah !  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  it,"  declared  the  di- 
rector. "  This  man  is  certainly  a  dangerous  malefac- 
tor— an  old  offender — I  think  I  have  seen  him  before — 
I  could  almost  swear  to  it." 

So  these  people,  who  had  such  a  large  and  varied  ex- 
perience, shared  Gevrol's  opinion ;  Lecoq  stood  alone. 

He  did  not  discuss  the  matter — what  good  would  it 
have  done?  Besides,  they  were  just  bringing  in  the 
Widow  Chupin. 

The  journey  must  have  calmed  her  nerves,  for  she 
had  become  as  gentle  as  a  lamb.  It  was  in  a  wheedling 
voice,  and  with  tearful  eyes,  that  she  called  upon  these 
"  good  gentlemen  "  to  witness  the  shameful  injustice 
with  which  she  was  treated — she,  an  honest  woman. 
She  was  the  support  of  the  family  (since  her  son  Polyte 
was  in  custody,  charged  with  pocket-picking),  and  what 
would  become  of  her  daughter-in-law,  and  her  grand- 
son Toto,  who  had  no  one  to  look  to  but  her? 

But  when  they  were  leading  her  away,  after  she  had 
given  her  full  name,  she  no  sooner  entered  the  corridor 
than  nature  reasserted  itself,  and  they  heard  her  quarrel- 
ling with  the  guard. 

"  You  are  wrong  not  to  be  polite,"  she  was  saying 
to  him;  "  you  are  losing  a  good  fee,  without  counting 
many  a  good  drink  that  I  would  give  you  without 
charge,  when  I  get  out  of  here." 


io4  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  examinations  were  over,  and  Lecoq  was  free  un- 
til the  arrival  of  M.  d'Escorval.  He  wandered  through 
the  corridors,  and  from  room  to  room ;  but,  as  he  was 
questioned  on  every  side,  he  went  out  and  sat  down 
upon  the  quay  to  collect  his  thoughts. 

His  convictions  were  unchanged.  He  was  still  more 
convinced  that  the  prisoner  was  concealing  his  real  so- 
cial condition;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  it  was  evident 
that  the  man  was  well  acquainted  with  the  prison  and 
with  its  usages. 

He  had  also  proved  himself  to  be  much  more  clever 
— a  thousand  times  more  clever — than  Lecoq  had  sup- 
posed. 

What  self-control!  What  powers  of  dissimulation! 
He  had  not  so  much  as  frowned  while  undergoing  the 
severest  ordeals,  and  he  had  deceived  the  most  experi- 
enced eyes  in  Paris. 

The  young  detective  had  been  waiting  there  nearly 
three  hours,  as  motionless  as  the  post  upon  which  he 
was  seated,  and  alike  insensible  to  the  cold  and  to  the 
flight  of  time,  when  a  coupe  drew  up  before  the  entrance 
of  the  prison,  and  M.  d'Escorval  descended,  followed 
by  his  clerk. 

Lecoq  rose  and  hastened  toward  them,  breathless 
with  anxiety. 

"  My  researches  on  the  spot,"  said  the  judge,  "  con- 
firm me  in  my  belief  that  you  are  right.  Is  there  any- 
thing new?  " 

"  Yes,  Monsieur ;  a  fact  apparently  very  trivial,  but 
of  an  importance  that " 

"  Very  well !  "  interrupted  the  judge.  "  You  will 
explain  this  to  me  by  and  by.  I  wish  first  to  make  a 
summary  examination  of  the  accused  parties.  A  mere 
matter  of  form  to-day.  Wait  for  me  here." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  105 

Although  the  judge  promised  to  make  haste,  Lecoq 
expected  that  at  least  an  hour  would  elapse  before  he 
reappeared.  But  he  was  wrong.  Twenty  minutes  had 
not  passed  before  M.  d'Escorval  emerged  from  the 
prison  without  his  clerk. 

He  walked  very  quickly,  and  calling  to  the  young 
detective  from  some  little  distance,  he  said : 

"  I  must  return  home  at  once — instantly ;  I  cannot 
listen  to  you." 

"  But,  Monsieur " 

"  Enough !  the  bodies  of  the  victims  have  been  taken 
to  the  morgue.  Keep  a  sharp  lookout  there.  Then, 
this  evening  make —  Well — do  whatever  you  think 
best." 

"  But,  Monsieur,  I  must " 

"  To-morrow !  to-morrow  at  nine  o'clock,  in  my 
office  in  the  Palais  de  Justice." 

Lecoq  wished  to  insist  upon  a  hearing,  but  M.  d'Es- 
corval had  entered,  or  rather  had  thrown  himself,  into 
his  coupe,  and  the  coachman  was  cracking  his  whip. 

"  And  he  is  a  judge!  "  murmured  the  young  man,  left 
panting  upon  the  quay.  "  Has  he  gone  mad?  " 

And  an  uncharitable  thought  entered  his  mind. 

"  Can  it  be,"  he  murmured,  "  that  he  holds  the  key 
to  the  mystery?  Does  he  not  desire  to  get  rid  of  me?  " 

This  suspicion  was  so  terrible  that  he  hastened  back 
to  the  prison,  hoping  to  gain  some  light  from  the  bear- 
ing of  the  prisoner,  and  ran  to  peer  through  the  little 
aperture  in  the  heavy  door  leading  into  the  cell. 

The  murderer  was  lying  upon  the  pallet  that  stood 
directly  opposite  the  door.  His  face  was  turned  toward 
the  wall,  and  he  was  enveloped  to  the  very  eyes  in  the 
coverlid. 

Was  he  asleep?    No;  for  Lecoq  detected  a  strange 


106  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

movement  of  the  body.  This  movement,  which  he 
could  not  explain,  annoyed  him.  He  applied  his  ear 
instead  of  his  eye  to  the  aperture,  and  he  distinguished 
a  stifled  moan.  There  could  no  longer  be  any  doubt. 
The  death-rattle  was  sounding  in  the  prisoner's 
throat. 

"  Here !  here !  "  cried  Lecoq,  greatly  excited.  "  Help ! 
help!" 

Ten  guards  came  running  at  his  call. 

"  The  prisoner!  he  is  killing  himself!  " 

They  opened  the  door;  it  was  time. 

The  poor  wretch  had  torn  a  binding  from  his  cloth- 
ing, had  tied  it  around  his  neck,  and  using  in  place  of 
a  tourniquet  a  tin  spoon  that  had  been  brought  in  with 
his  allowance  of  food,  he  was  strangling  himself. 

The  prison  doctor,  who  had  been  sent  for,  and  who 
immediately  bled  the  prisoner,  declared  that  in  ten  min- 
utes all  would  have  been  over. 

When  the  murderer  regained  consciousness,  he 
gazed  about  his  cell  with  a  wild,  idiotic  stare.  One 
might  have  supposed  that  he  was  amazed  to  find  him- 
self still  alive.  Then  a  great  tear  welled  from  his  swol- 
len eyelids,  and  rolled  down  his  cheek. 

They  pressed  him  with  questions — not  a  word  in  re- 
sponse. 

"  Since  he  is  in  such  a  frame  of  mind,  and  since  we 
cannot  give  him  a  companion,  as  he  has  been  sentenced 
to  solitary  confinement,  we  must  put  him  in  a  strait- 
jacket." 

After  he  had  assisted  in  binding  the  prisoner,  Lecoq 
went  away,  very  thoughtful,  and  painfully  agitated. 
He  felt  that  this  veil  of  mystery  hid  some  terrible 
drama. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  107 

*'  But  what  has  occurred?  "  he  murmured.  "  Has 
this  unfortunate  man,  who  tried  to  destroy  himself,  con- 
fessed all  to  the  judge?  Why  should  he  have  commit- 
ted such  an  act  of  desperation?  " 


CHAPTER  XIII 

Lecoq  did  not  sleep  any  that  night. 

And  yet  he  had  been  on  his  feet  for  more  than  forty 
hours,  and  had  scarcely  paused  to  eat  or  to  drink. 

But  anxiety,  hope,  and  even  fatigue  itself,  imparted 
to  his  body  the  factitious  strength  of  fever,  and  to  his 
intellect  that  unhealthy  acuteness  which  is  the  result 
of  intense  mental  effort. 

He  no  longer  occupied  himself  in  pursuing  imaginary 
deductions,  as  he  had  done  when  in  the  employ  of  his 
patron,  the  astronomer.  Facts  were  more  startling 
than  chimeras.  They  were  only  too  real — the  dead 
bodies  of  the  three  victims  that  were  lying  on  the  mar- 
ble slab  of  the  morgue. 

But  if  the  catastrophe  itself  was  certain,  beyond  the 
shadow  of  a  doubt,  everything  connected  with  it  could 
only  be  conjectured.  Not  a  witness  could  be  found  to 
tell  what  circumstances  had  preceded  and  paved  the 
way  for  this  terrible  denouement. 

One  discovery,  it  is  true,  would  suffice  to  dissipate 
these  doubts,  and  that  was  the  identity  of  the  mur- 
derer. 

Who  was  he?  Which  was  right? — Gevrol,  upheld 
by  all  the  men  at  the  prison,  or  Lecoq,  who  stood 
alone  ? 

Gevrol's  opinion  was  based  upon  formidable  proof, 


io8  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

the  evidence  that  enters  the  mind  through  the  sense  of 
sight. 

Lecoq's  hypothesis  was  based  only  upon  a  series  of 
subtle  observations,  and  of  deductions  whose  starting- 
point  was  a  single  sentence,  which  had  fallen  from  the 
lips  of  the  murderer. 

And  yet  Lecoq  did  not  feel  the  least  particle  of  un- 
certainty after  his  short  conversation  with  M.  d'Escor- 
val's  clerk,  whom  he  met  as  he  was  leaving  the  prison. 

This  worthy  young  man,  when  adroitly  interrogated 
by  Lecoq,  was  easily  persuaded  to  reveal  what  had 
passed  between  the  prisoner  and  the  judge. 

It  was,  one  might  say,  nothing  at  all. 

The  murderer,  so  the  clerk  declared,  had  not  only  re- 
fused to  make  any  confession  to  M.  d'Escorval,  but  he 
had  replied  in  the  most  evasive  manner  to  all  the  ques- 
tions which  had  been  put  to  him;  and  in  several  in- 
stances he  had  not  replied  at  all. 

And  if  the  judge  had  not  insisted  upon  a  reply,  it  was 
only  because  this  first  examination  was  a  mere  formal- 
ity, intended  to  justify  the  rather  premature  delivery  of 
the  order  to  imprison  the  accused. 

Under  these  circumstances,  how  was  one  to  explain 
this  act  of  despair  on  the  part  of  the  prisoner? 

The  statistics  of  prisons  prove  that  "  habitual  offend- 
ers "  (that  is  the  expression)  do  not  commit  suicide. 

When  detected  in  a  criminal  act,  some  members  of 
this  class  are  seized  with  a  wild  frenzy,  and  have  what 
are  styled  nervous  attacks ;  others  fall  into  a  dull  stupor, 
like  a  glutted  beast  who  falls  asleep  with  the  blood  of 
his  victim  upon  his  lips. 

But  such  men  never  think  of  putting  an  end  to  their 
days.  They  hold  fast  to  their  life,  no  matter  how  seri- 
ously they  may  be  compromised.  They  are  cowards. 


109 

On  the  other  hand,  the  unfortunate  man  who,  in  a 
moment  of  frenzy,  commits  some  crime,  not  unfre- 
quently  seeks  to  avoid  the  consequences  of  his  act  by 
a  voluntary  death. 

Hence  this  abortive  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  ac- 
cused was  a  strong  argument  in  favor  of  Lecoq's 
theory. 

This  wretched  man's  secret  must  be  a  terrible  one, 
since  he  holds  it  dearer  than  his  life ;  since  he  has  tried 
to  destroy  himself  that  he  might  take  it  inviolate  to  the 
grave. 

Four  o'clock  sounded. 

Quickly  Lecoq  sprang  from  the  bed,  where  he  had 
thrown  himself  down  without  removing  his  clothing; 
and  five  minutes  later  he  was  walking  down  the  Rue 
Montmartre. 

The  weather  was  still  disagreeable;  the  fog  had  not 
lifted.  But  what  did  it  matter  to  the  young  detective? 

He  was  walking  briskly  on,  when,  just  as  he  reached 
Saint  Eustache,  someone  in  a  coarse,  mocking  voice 
accosted  him  with : 

"Ah,  ha!  my  fine  fellow!" 

He  looked  up  and  perceived  Gevrol,  who,  accom- 
panied by  three  of  his  men,  had  come  to  cast  his  nets 
near  the  market.  It  is  a  good  place.  The  police  sel- 
dom fail  to  find  thieves  and  vagabonds  lurking  around 
the  establishment  kept  open  during  the  night  by  the 
hucksters. 

"  You  are  up  very  early  this  morning,  Monsieur  Le- 
coq," continued  the  inspector;  "  you  are  still  trying  to 
discover  our  man's  identity,  I  suppose?  " 

"  Still  trying." 

"  Is  he  a  prince  in  disguise,  or  only  a  simple  mar- 
quis?" 


no  .    MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  One  or  the  other,  I  am  quite  certain." 

"  Very  well.  In  that  case,  you  will  not  refuse  to  give 
us  an  opportunity  to  drink  to  your  success." 

Lecoq  consented,  and  the  party  entered  a  saloon  near 
by.  When  the  glasses  were  filled : 

"  Upon  my  word,  General,"  exclaimed  Lecoq,  "  our 
meeting  will  save  me  a  long  walk.  I  was  intending  to 
go  to  the  prefecture  to  request  you,  in  behalf  of  Mon- 
sieur d'Escorval,  to  send  one  of  our  comrades  to  the 
morgue  this  morning.  The  affair  at  the  Poivriere  has 
been  noised  about,  and  all  the  world  will  be  there,  and 
he  desires  some  officer  to  be  present  to  watch  the  crowd 
and  listen  to  the  remarks  of  the  visitors." 

"  Very  well ;  Father  Absinthe  shall  be  there  at  the 
opening." 

To  send  Father  Absinthe  where  a  shrewd  and  subtle 
agent  was  required  was  a  mockery.  Still  Lecoq  made 
no  protest  against  this  decision.  It  was  better  to  be 
badly  served  than  to  be  betrayed;  and  he  could  trust 
Father  Absinthe. 

"  It  does  not  matter  much,"  continued  Gevrol;  "  but 
you  should  have  informed  me  of  this  last  evening.  But 
when  I  reached  the  prefecture  you  had  gone." 

"  I  had  business." 

"Yes?" 

"  At  the  station-house  at  the  Barriere  dTtalie.  I 
wished  to  know  whether  the  floor  of  the  cage  was  paved 
or  tiled." 

After  this  response,  he  paid  the  score,  saluted  his  su- 
perior officer,  and  went  out. 

"Thunder!"  exclaimed  Gevrol,  striking  his  glass 
violently  upon  the  counter.  "  Thunder !  how  that  fel- 
low provokes  me !  He  does  not  know  the  A  B  C's  of 
his  profession.  When  he  can  discover  nothing,  he  in- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  m 

vents  wonderful  stories,  and  then  misleads  the  judges 
with  his  high-sounding  phrases,  in  the  hope  of  winning 
promotion.  I  will  give  him  advancement  with  a  ven- 
gearfce !  I  will  teach  him  to  set  himself  above  me !  " 

Lecoq  had  not  been  deceived.  The  evening  before, 
he  had  visited  the  station-house  where  the  prisoner  had 
first  been  confined,  and  had  compared  the  soil  of  the 
cell  floor  with  the  dust  he  had  in  his  pocket;  and  he 
took  away  with  him,  as  he  believed,  one  of  those  crush- 
ing proofs  that  often  suffice  to  extort  from  the  most 
obstinate  criminal  a  complete  confession. 

If  he  was  in  haste  to  part  company  with  Gevrol,  it 
was  because  he  was  eager  to  pursue  his  investigations 
still  further,  before  appearing  in  the  presence  of  M. 
d'Escorval. 

He  was  determined  to  find  the  coachman  who  had 
been  stopped  by  the  two  women  on  the  Rue  du  Cheval- 
eret;  and  with  this  object  in  view,  he  had  obtained  at 
the  prefecture  the  name  and  address  of  each  person  who 
had  carriages  for  hire,  between  the  road  to  Fontaine- 
bleau  and  the  Seine. 

His  first  efforts  at  investigation  were  unfortunate. 

In  the  first  establishment  which  he  visited,  the  stable 
boys,  who  were  not  yet  up,  swore  at  him  roundly.  In 
the  second,  he  found  the  grooms  at  work,  but  not  a 
coachman  had  made  his  appearance. 

Moreover,  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment  re- 
fused to  show  him  the  books  upon  which  are  recorded 
— or  should  be  recorded — the  daily  engagements  of 
each  coachman. 

He  was  beginning  to  despair,  when  at  about  half-past 
seven  o'clock  he  reached  the  house  of  a  man  named 
Trigault,  whose  establishment  was  just  beyond  the 
fortifications.  Here  he  learned  that  on  Sunday  night. 


ii2  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

or  rather  early  Monday  morning,  one  of  the  coachmen, 
as  he  was  returning  home  for  the  night,  had  been  ac- 
costed by  some  parties,  who  succeeded  in  persuading 
him  to  go  back  to  Paris. 

This  coachman  was  pointed  out  to  Lecoq;  he  was 
then  in  the  court-yard  harnessing  his  horse. 

He  was  a  little  old  man,  with  a  very  high  color,  and 
small  eyes  full  of  cunning.  Lecoq  walked  up  to  him 
at  once. 

"  Was  it  you,"  he  demanded,  "  who,  on  Sunday  night, 
or  rather  on  Monday,  between  one  and  two  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  took  two  women  from  the  Rue  du  Che- 
valeret  to  the  city?  " 

The  coachman  looked  up,  and,  surveying  Lecoq  at- 
tentively, cautiously  replied: 

"  Perhaps." 

"  It  is  a  positive  answer  that  I  want." 

"  Aha !  "  said  the  old  man,  sneeringly,  "  Monsieur 
undoubtedly  knows  two  ladies  who  have  lost  something 
in  a  carriage,  and  so " 

The  young  detective  trembled  with  joy.  This  man 
was  certainly  the  one  whom  he  sought;  he  interrupted 
him: 

"  Have  you  heard  anything  about  a  crime  that  has 
been  committed  in  the  neighborhood?  " 

"  Yes ;  a  murder  in  a  low  drinking-saloon." 

"  Very  well !  These  two  women  were  there ;  they 
fled  when  we  entered  the  saloon.  I  am  trying  to  find 
them.  I  am  an  agent  of  the  safety-service;  here  is  my 
card.  Can  you  give  me  any  information?" 

The  coachman  had  become  very  pale. 

"Ah!  the  wretches!"  he  exclaimed.  "I  am  no 
longer  surprised  at  the  pourboire  they  gave  me.  A 
louis,  and  two  one  hundred  sou  pieces  for  the  fare — 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  113 

thirty  francs  in  all.  Cursed  money!  if  I  had  not  spent 
it,  I  would  throw  it  away!  " 

"  And  where  did  you  carry  them?  " 

"  To  the  Rue  de  Bourgogne.  I  have  forgotten  the 
number,  but  I  should  recognize  the  house." 

"  Unfortunately  they  would  not  have  you  leave  them 
at  their  own  door." 

"  Who  knows  ?  I  saw  them  ring ;  they  pulled  the 
bell,  and  I  think  they  entered  just  as  I  drove  away. 
Shall  I  take  you  there?" 

Lecoq's  sole  response  was  to  spring  upon  the  driver's 
seat,  exclaiming: 

"  Let  us  be  off." 

CHAPTER  XIV 

Was  one  to  suppose  that  the  women  who  escaped 
from  the  Widow  Chupin's  saloon  at  the  moment  of  the 
murder  were  utterly  devoid  of  intelligence  ? 

No! 

Was  it  possible  that  these  two  fugitives,  conscious 
as  they  were  of  their  perilous  situation,  would  have  gone 
to  their  real  home  in  a  carriage  hired  on  the  public 
highway? 

No,  again. 

Then  the  hope  of  finding  them  manifested  by  the 
coachman  was  chimerical. 

Lecoq  felt  this,  and  yet  he  had  not  hesitated  an  in- 
stant before  leaping  upon  the  seat,  and  giving  the  signal 
to  depart. 

By  doing  this,  he  obeyed  a  maxim  which  he  had  fab- 
ricated in  his  hours  of  meditation,  a  maxim  which  was 
to  assure  his  fame  in  after  days,  and  which  reads  as  fol- 
lows: 

"  In  the  matter  of  information,  above  all,  regard  with 


ii4  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

suspicion  that  which  seems  probable.  Begin  always 
by  believing  what  seems  incredible." 

While  arriving  at  these  conclusions,  the  young  detec- 
tive was  ingratiating  himself  into  the  good  graces  of  the 
coachman,  thereby  winning  all  the  information  that  this 
worthy  had  it  in  his  power  to  bestow. 

It  was  also  a  way  that  Lecoq  had  devised  to  get  back 
to  the  heart  of  Paris  more  quickly. 

He  was  not  deceived  in  this  last  calculation. 

The  horse  pricked  up  his  ears  and  quickened  his  pace 
when  his  master  cried:  "  Hi,  there,  Cocotle!  "  in  tones 
that  the  poor  beast  knew  would  admit  of  no  trifling. 

In  less  than  no  time  the  carriage  reached  the  Route 
de  Choisy,  and  then  Lecoq  resumed  his  inquiries. 

"  Well,  my  good  man,"  he  began,  "  you  have  told  me 
the  principal  facts,  now  I  would  like  the  details.  How 
did  these  two  women  attract  your  attention?  " 

"  It  was  all  very  simple.  I  had  been  having  a  most 
unfortunate  day — six  hours  standing  in  line  upon  the 
boulevards,  the  rain  pouring  down  all  the  time.  What 
misery !  At  midnight  I  had  gained  only  thirty  sous  of 
pourboire,  all  told.  Still  I  was  so  chilled  through,  and 
my  horse  was  so  tired,  that  I  decided  to  return.  I  was 
grumbling  not  a  little,  as  you  may  suppose!  After 
passing  the  corner  of  the  Rue  Picard,  on  the  Rue  du 
Chevaleret,  I  saw  two  women  standing  under  a  street- 
lamp,  some  distance  from  me.  Naturally,  I  did  not  pay 
any  attention  to  them;  for  when  a  man  is  as  old  as  I  am, 
women " 

"  Go  on!  "  said  Lecoq,  who  could  not  restrain  his  im- 
patience. 

"  I  had  passed  them,  when  they  began  to  call : 
•'  Coachman !  coachman ! '  I  pretended  I  did  not  hear 
them;  but  one  of  them  ran  after  me,  crying:  '  A  louis! 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  ng 

a  louis  for  pourboire! '  I  deliberated  for  a  moment, 
when,  as  if  to  conquer  my  hesitancy,  the  woman  added : 
'And  ten  francs  for  fare!'  Of  course,  I  stopped  at 
once." 

Lecoq  was  boiling  over  with  impatience,  but  he  felt 
that  direct  and  hurried  questions  would  be  useless.  The 
wisest  course  was  to  listen  to  all  the  man  had  to  say. 

"  As  you  may  suppose,"  continued  the  coachman, 
"  one  is  not  inclined  to  trust  two  such  suspicious  char- 
acters, alone  at  that  hour,  in  that  part  of  the  city.  So 
when  they  were  about  to  enter  the  carriage,  I  cried: 
'  Halt  there!  my  little  friends,  you  have  promised  papa 
some  sous;  where  are  they? '  The  one  who  had  called 
me  at  once  handed  me  thirty  francs,  saying:  '  Above 
all,  make  haste! ' ' 

"  It  would  be  impossible  to  be  more  exact,"  said  the 
young  man,  approvingly.  "  Now,  how  about  these 
two  women?" 

"  What  do  you  mean?  " 

"  I  mean  what  kind  of  people  did  they  seem  to  be; 
for  what  would  you  have  taken  them?  " 

The  man's  red  face  expanded  under  the  influence  of 
a  broad  smile. 

"Well!  I  took  them  to  be  nothing  very  good,"  he 
replied. 

"  Ah!  and  how  were  they  dressed?  " 

"  Like  other  girls  who  go  to  dance  at  the  Rainbow, 
you  know.  But  one  of  them  was  very  neat  and  trig, 
while  the  other — well !  she  was  a  terrible  dowdy." 

"  Which  one  ran  after  you  ?  " 

"  The  neatly  dressed  girl,  the  one  who " 

He  paused  suddenly;  so  vivid  was  the  remembrance 
that  passed  through  his  brain,  that  he  jerked  the  reins 
and  brought  his  horse  to  a  stand-still. 


n6  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Thunder!  "  he  exclaimed;  "  now  I  think  of  it,  I  did 
notice  something  strange.  One  of  the  two  women 
called  the  other  madame,  as  large  as  life,  while  the  other 
said  thee  and  thou,  and  spoke  rather  harshly  to  her 
companion." 

"Oh!  oh!  oh!"  exclaimed  the  young  detective,  in 
three  different  keys.  "  And  which,  if  you  please,  said 
thou?" 

"  The  shabbily  dressed  one.  She  couldn't  put  two 
feet  in  one  shoe,  that  woman  couldn't.  She  shook  the 
other,  the  trig-looking  girl,  as  if  she  were  a  plum-tree. 
'Wretch!'  said  she,  'do  you  wish  to  ruin  us?  You 
can  faint  when  we  get  home  if  you  wish;  come  along! ' 
And  the  other  replied,  sobbing :  '  Indeed,  Madame, 
indeed  I  cannot !  She  really  did  seem  unable  to  move ; 
in  fact,  she  seemed  so  ill  that  I  said  to  myself:  '  Here 
is  a  young  woman  who  has  drank  more  than  a  suffi- 
ciency.' >: 

These  facts  confirmed  while  they  corrected  Lecoq's 
first  supposition. 

As  he  had  suspected,  the  social  position  of  the  two 
women  was  not  the  same. 

He  had  been  mistaken,  however,  in  attributing  the 
pre-eminence  to  the  woman  wearing  the  small  shoes 
with  the  high  heels,  whose  impressions  upon  the  snow 
had  revealed  her  weakness. 

This  pre-eminence  belonged  to  her  who  had  left  the 
prints  of  the  large,  broad  shoes;  and  superior  in  her 
rank,  she  had  been  so  in  her  energy. 

Until  now  Lecoq  had  been  satisfied  that  she  was  the 
servant  and  the  other  the  mistress. 

"  Is  this  all,  my  good  fellow?  "  he  asked  his  compan- 
ion. 

"  All,"  replied  the  coachman,  "  except  I  noticed  that 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  117 

the  shabbily  dressed  woman  who  paid  me  had  a  hand — 
well,  as  small  as  an  infant's;  and  in  spite  of  her  anger, 
her  voice  was  as  sweet  as  music." 

"  Did  you  see  her  face?  " 

"  I  just  caught  a  glimpse  of  it." 

"  Could  you  tell  if  she  were  pretty,  or  whether  she 
was  a  blonde  or  a  brunette  ?  " 

So  many  questions  at  a  time  confused  the  worthy 
coachman. 

"  Stop  a  minute!  "  he  replied.  "  In  my  opinion,  she 
was  not  pretty,  and  I  do  not  believe  she  was  young;  but 
she  certainly  was  a  blonde,  with  plenty  of  hair." 

"  Was  she  tall  or  short;  stout  or  slender?  " 

"  Between  the  two." 

This  was  very  vague. 

"  And  the  other,"  demanded  Lecoq,  "  the  neatly 
dressed  one?  " 

"  The  devil !  As  for  her,  I  did  not  notice  her  at  all ; 
she  was  very  small,  that  is  all  I  know  about  her." 

"  Would  you  recognize  her  if  you  should  meet  her 
again?" 

"  Thunder!  no." 

The  carriage  had  traversed  about  half  of  the  Rue  de 
Bourgogne ;  the  coachman  stopped  his  horse  and  said : 

"  Attention !  That  is  the  house  which  the  two 
women  entered." 

To  draw  off  the  silk  handkerchief  that  served  him  as 
a  muffler,  to  fold  it  and  slip  it  into  his  pocket,  to  spring 
to  the  ground  and  enter  the  house  indicated,  was  the 
work  of  an  instant  only  for  the  young  detective. 

In  the  concierge's  little  room  an  old  woman  was  seat- 
ed knitting. 

"  Madame,"  said  Lecoq,  politely,  presenting  her  with 


n8  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

the  silk  handkerchief,  "  I  came  here  to  return  this  arti- 
cle to  one  of  your  lodgers." 

"To  which  one?" 

"  Really,  that  is  something  I  do  not  know." 

The  worthy  concierge  for  a  moment  supposed  that 
this  extremely  polite  young  man  was  mocking  her. 

"  Villanous  wretch !  "  she  began. 

"  Pardon,"  interrupted  Lecoq;  "  allow  me  to  finish. 
This  is  my  explanation:  Night  before  last,  or  rather 
day  before  yesterday  morning,  about  three  o'clock,  I 
was  quietly  returning  home,  when,  not  far  from  here, 
two  ladies,  who  seemed  to  be  in  a  great  hurry,  passed 
me.  One  of  them  dropped  this.  I  picked  it  up,  and, 
of  course,  hastened  after  them  to  return  it;  but  my 
labor  was  lost;  they  had  already  entered  here.  At  such 
an  hour  I  did  not  like  to  ring,  for  fear  of  disturbing  you. 
Yesterday  I  was  very  busy,  but  to-day  I  came  to  return 
the  article;  here  it  is." 

He  laid  the  handkerchief  upon  the  table,  and  pretend- 
ed that  he  was  about  to  go,  but  the  concierge  detained 
him. 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  kindness,"  said  she,  "  but 
you  can  keep  it.  Here,  in  this  house,  we  have  no  ladies 
who  return  home  alone  after  midnight." 

"  Still  I  have  eyes,"  insisted  Lecoq,  "  and  I  certainly 
saw " 

"Ah!  I  had  forgotten,"  exclaimed  the  old  woman. 
"  The  night  you  speak  of  someone  did  ring  the  bell 
here.  I  opened  my  door  and  listened.  I  heard  noth- 
ing. Not  hearing  anyone  close  the  door  or  come 
upstairs,  I  said  to  myself :  '  It  is  some  mischievous  boy 
playing  a  trick  on  me.'  I  slipped  on  my  dress  and  went 
out  into  the  vestibule.  What  did  I  see?  Two  shadowy 
forms  running  away;  as  they  ran  they  slammed  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  119 

outer  door  in  my  face.  I  opened  it  again  as  quickly  as 
I  could,  and  looked  out  into  the  street.  What  did  I  see 
then?  Two  women  hurrying  away  as  fast  as  they 
could." 

"  In  what  direction?  " 

"  They  were  running  toward  the  Rue  de  Varennes." 

Lecoq  was  baffled  again ;  he  bowed  civilly  to  the  con- 
cierge, whom  he  might  have  need  of  again,  and  went 
back  to  the  carriage. 

"  As  I  had  supposed,  they  do  not  live  here,"  he  re- 
marked to  the  coachman. 

That  worthy  man  shrugged  his  shoulders  in  evident 
vexation ;  and  his  wrath  was  about  to  find  vent  in  a  tor- 
rent of  words,  when  Lecoq,  who  had  consulted  his 
watch,  checked  it  by  saying : 

"  Nine  o'clock!  I  shall  be  an  hour  behind  time,  but 
I  shall  have  some  news  to  tell.  Take  me  to  the  morgue 
as  quickly  as  possible." 


CHAPTER  XV 

The  days  that  follow  mysterious  crimes  and  catastro- 
phes, whose  victims  have  not  been  recognized,  are  great 
days  at  the  morgue. 

The  employees  hasten  about  exchanging  jests  that 
make  one's  flesh  creep.  Almost  all  of  them  are  very 
gay.  Perhaps  it  is  from  an  imperious  need  to  arm 
themselves  against  the  horrible  gloom  that  surrounds 
them. 

"  We  shall  have  the  world  and  his  wife  here  to-day," 
they  say. 

And,  in  fact,  as  soon  as  Lecoq  and  his  coachman 
reached  the  quay,  they  could  see  in  the  distance  the 


120  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

dense  and  excited  crowd  which  had  gathered  around 
that  chamber  of  horrors. 

The  newspapers  had  reported  the  affair  that  had 
taken  place  in  the  Widow  Chupin's  saloon,  and  every- 
body wished  to  see  the  victims. 

Upon  the  bridge  Lecoq  made  the  driver  stop  his 
horse,  and  leaped  to  the  ground. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  get  out  of  the  carriage  before  the 
morgue,"  he  said  to  the  coachman. 

Then  drawing  out,  first  his  watch,  and  then  his  purse, 
he  said: 

"  We  have  spent  one  hour  and  forty  minutes,  my 
good  fellow,  consequently,  I  owe  you " 

"  Nothing  at  all,"  replied  the  coachman,  decidedly. 

«  But " 

"  No ;  not  a  sou.  I  am  too  much  provoked  to  think 
that  I  took  the  money  of  those  abominable  jades!  I 
wish  what  I  bought  to  drink  with  their  money  had 
given  me  the  colic.  So  pray  feel  no  uneasiness  about 
the  score.  If  you  need  a  carriage,  take  mine  for  noth- 
ing until  you  have  caught  the  wretches." 

Lecoq  at  that  time  was  by  no  means  rich,  and  he  did 
not  insist. 

"  You  will  at  least  take  my  name  and  my  address  ?  " 
continued  the  coachman. 

"  Certainly.  The  judge  will  wish  to  hear  your  depo- 
sition. You  will  receive  a  summons." 

"  Very  well.  Address  Papillon  (Eugene),  coachman, 
at  the  house  of  Monsieur  Trigault.  I  lodge  there,  be- 
cause I  have  some  small  interest  in  the  business,  you 
see." 

The  young  policeman  was  hastening  away,  when 
Papillon  called  him  back. 

"  When  you  leave  the  morgue  you  will  want  to  go 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  121 

somewhere;  you  told  me  that  you  had  an  appointment, 
and  that  you  were  late  now." 

"  Yes,  I  ought  to  be  at  the  Palais  de  Justice ;  but  it 
is  only  a  few  steps  from  here." 

"  No  matter.  I  am  going-  to  wait  for  you  at  the  cor- 
ner. Ah !  it  is  useless  to  say  '  no ; '  I  have  made  up  my 
mind,  and  I  am  a  Breton.  I  have  a  favor  to  ask  of  you. 
Ride  out  that  thirty  francs  that  those  jades  paid  me." 

It  would  have  been  cruel  to  refuse  such  a  request. 
Lecoq  made  a  motion  of  assent,  and  hurried  toward  the 
morgue. 

If  there  was  a  crowd  outside,  it  was  because  the 
gloomy  place  was  full,  literally  packed  inside. 

Lecoq,  to  effect  an  entrance,  was  obliged  to  use  his 
elbows  vigorously. 

Within,  the  sight  was  horrible  ;  and  it  was  terrible  to 
think  what  disgusting  sensations  and  emotions  that 
ferocious  throng  had  come  to  seek  there. 

There  were  women  in  great  numbers,  and  crowds  of 
young  maidens. 

The  shop-girls  and  the  workmen  who  reside  in  the 
neighborhood  made  a  detour,  in  order  to  come  and  look 
upon  the  harvest  of  dead  bodies  which  crime,  carriage 
accidents,  the  Seine,  and  the  canal  St.  Martin  gather 
each  day  for  the  morgue.  The  most  sensitive  came  no 
farther  than  the  door,  the  more  intrepid  enter  and  relate 
their  impressions  to  their  less  courageous  companions 
on  emerging  from  the  horrible  place. 

When  there  is  nobody  there,  when  the  marble  slabs 
are  unoccupied,  the  visitors  are  not  pleased — hard  as  it 
may  be  to  believe  it. 

But  there  was  a  full  house  that  morning.  All  the 
slabs,  with  the  exception  of  two,  were  occupied. 

The  atmosphere  was  terrible.     A  damp  chill  pene' 


122  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

trated  one's  body,  and  from  the  panting  crowd  rose  an 
infectious  steam,  heavily  impregnated  with  the  odor  of 
the  chloride  of  lime  used  as  a  disinfectant 

And  with  the  whispers  of  the  bystanders,  which  were 
interspersed  with  sighs  and  exclamations,  was  mingled, 
as  a  continuous  accompaniment,  the  murmur  of  the 
water  trickling  from  the  spigot  at  the  head  of  each  slab ; 
a  tiny  stream  that  flowed  forth  only  to  fall  in  fine  spray 
upon  the  marble. 

Through  the  small  arched  windows  a  gray  light  stole 
in  on  the  exposed  bodies,  making  each  muscle  stand 
out  clearly,  bringing  into  bold  relief  the  ghastly  tints 
of  the  lifeless  flesh,  and  imparting  a  sinister  aspect  to 
the  tattered  clothing  suspended  about  the  room  to  aid 
in  identification.  This  clothing,  after  a  certain  time, 
is  sold — for  nothing  is  wasted. 

But  Lecoq  was  too  much  occupied  with  his  own 
thoughts  to  remark  the  horrors  of  the  scene. 

He  scarcely  bestowed  a  glance  on  the  three  victims. 
He  was  seeking  Father  Absinthe  and  did  not  see  him 
anywhere. 

Had  Gevrol  intentionally  or  unintentionally  failed  to 
fulfil  his  promise,  or  had  Father  Absinthe  forgotten  his 
duty  in  his  morning  dram? 

Powerless  to  decide  what  the  cause  of  his  comrade's 
absence  might  be,  Lecoq  addressed  the  head  keeper : 

"  It  would  seem  that  no  one  has  yet  recognized  either 
of  the  unfortunate  victims  of  the  triple  murder  at  the 
Widow  Chupin's." 

"  No  one.  And  yet,  from  the  opening,  we  have  had 
an  immense  crowd.  If  I  were  master  here,  on  such 
days  as  this,  I  would  ask  an  admission  fee  of  two  sous, 
and  charge  half  price  for  children.  It  would  bring  in 
a  round  sum — would  more  than  cover  the  expenses." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  123 

The  idea  thus  presented  offered  an  inducement  to 
conversation,  but  Lecoq  did  not  seize  it. 

"  Excuse  me,"  he  interrupted.  "  Did  they  not  send 
one  of  the  agents  of  the  secret-service  here  this  morn- 
ing?" 

"  Yes,  there  was  one  here." 

"  Has  he  gone  away,  then?  I  do  not  see  him  any- 
where." 

The  keeper,  before  making  any  response,  glanced 
suspiciously  at  the  eager  questioner,  and  at  last,  with 
some  hesitancy  of  manner,  he  inquired: 

"  Are  you  one  of  them?  " 

This  phrase  came  into  circulation  at  the  epoch  when 
so  many  secret  agents,  whose  business  it  was  to  excite 
revolt,  flourished.  Under  the  Restoration,  this  term 
was  applied  only  to  the  police. 

"  He  is  one  of  them,"  or  "  He  is  not  one  of  them." 
The  expression  has  survived  the  circumstances  that 
gave  it  birth. 

"  I  am  one  of  them,"  replied  Lecoq,  exhibiting  his 
badge  in  support  of  his  assertion. 

"  And  your  name?  " 

"  Is  Lecoq." 

The  face  of  the  keeper  was  suddenly  illumined  by  a 
smile. 

"  In  that  case,"  said  he,  "  I  have  a  letter  for  you, 
written  by  your  comrade,  who  was  obliged  to  go  away. 
Here  it  is."  % 

The  detective  at  once  broke  the  seal  and  read : 

"  MONSIEUR  LECOQ " 


"Monsieur!"    This   simple   formula   of  politeness 
brought  a  faint  smile  to  the  lips  of  the  reader.     Was  it 


i24  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

not,  on  the  part  of  Father  Absinthe,  an  evident  recogni- 
tion of  his  colleague's  superiority? 

The  young  man  saw  in  it  an  unquestioning  devotion 
which  it  would  be  his  duty  to  repay  with  the  kind  pro- 
tection of  the  master  for  his  first  disciple. 

He  continued  the  perusal  of  his  letter. 

"  MONSIEUR  LECOQ — I  had  been  standing  on  duty 
since  the  opening  of  the  morgue,  when  about  nine 
o'clock  three  young  men  entered,  arm  in  arm.  From 
their  manner  and  appearance  I  judged  them  to  be  clerks 
in  some  store  or  warehouse.  Suddenly  I  noticed  that 
one  of  them  had  turned  as  white  as  his  shirt;  and  call- 
ing the  attention  of  his  companions  to  one  of  the  un- 
known victims,  he  said,  '  Gustave! ' 

"  His  comrades  put  their  hands  over  his  lips,  and  one 
of  them  said :  '  What  are  you  about,  you  fool,  to  mix 
yourself  up  with  this  affair?  Do  you  wish  to  get  us 
into  trouble?' 

"  Thereupon  they  went  out,  and  I  followed  them. 

"  But  the  person  who  had  spoken  was  so  overcome 
that  he  could  scarcely  drag  himself  along;  and  his  com- 
panions were  obliged  to  take  him  to  a  little  restaurant. 

"  I  entered  it  myself,  and  it  is  there  where  I  am  writ- 
ing this  letter,  while  I  watch  them  out  of  the  corner  of 
my  eye.  The  head  keeper  will  give  you  this  note,  ex- 
plaining my  absence.  You  will  understand  that  I  am 
going  to  follow  these  men.  A.  B.  S." 

The  handwriting  of  this  letter  was  almost  illegible; 
there  were  faults  of  orthography  in  each  line;  but  its 
meaning  was  clear  and  exact,  and  could  not  fail  to 
awaken  the  most  flattering  hopes. 

Lecoq's  face  was  radiant  when  he  returned  to  the  car- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  125 

riage,  and,  as  he  urged  on  his  horse,  the  old  coachman 
could  not  refrain  from  saying: 

"  Things  are  going  on  to  suit  you." 

A  friendly  "  chut!  "  was  the  only  response.  It  re- 
quired all  his  attention  to  classify  this  new  information. 

When  he  descended  from  the  carriage  before  the  gate 
of  the  Palais  de  Justice,  he  experienced  considerable 
difficulty  in  dismissing  the  old  coachman,  who  insisted 
upon  remaining  at  his  orders.  He  succeeded  at  last, 
but  even  when  he  had  reached  the  portico  of  the  left  en- 
trance, the  worthy  driver,  standing  upon  his  carriage- 
box,  shouted : 

"  At  the  house  of  Monsieur  Trigault — do  not  forget 
— Father  Papillon — No.  998 — 1,000  less  2 " 

When  he  reached  the  third  story  of  the  left  wing  of 
the  palace,  and  was  about  entering  that  long,  narrow 
and  sombre  corridor  known  as  the  galerie  de  Vinstruc- 
tion,  Lecoq  addressed  a  door-keeper  installed  behind  a 
heavy  oaken  desk. 

"  Monsieur  d'Escorval  is  undoubtedly  in  his  office," 
he  remarked. 

The  man  shook  his  head. 

"  Monsieur  d'Escorval,"  he  replied,  "  is  not  here  this 
morning,  and  he  will  not  be  here  for  several  weeks." 

"Why  so?    What  do  you  mean?" 

"  Last  evening  as  he  was  alighting  from  his  carriage, 
at  his  own  door,  he  had  a  most  unfortunate  fall,  and 
broke  his  leg." 


126  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 


CHAPTER  XVI 

One  is  rich — one  has  a  carriage,  horse  and  coach- 
man— and  when  one  passes  leaning  back  upon  the 
cushions,  one  receives  many  an  envious  glance. 

But  sometimes  the  coachman  has  taken  a  drop  too 
much,  and  upsets  the  carriage ;  perhaps  the  horses  run 
away  and  break  everything,  or  the  until  then  fortunate 
owner,  in  a  moment  of  abstraction,  misses  the  step,  and 
fractures  his  limb  upon  the  sharp  curb-stone. 

Such  accidents  are  occurring  every  day ;  and  the  long 
list  ought  to  make  humble  foot-passengers  bless  their 
lowly  lot  which  preserves  them  from  such  perils. 

On  learning  the  misfortune  that  had  befallen  M. 
d'Escorval,  Lecoq's  face  wore  such  an  expression  of 
consternation  that  the  door-keeper  could  not  help 
laughing. 

"  What  is  there  so  very  extraordinary  about  it  ?  "  he 
demanded. 

"  I— oh !  nothing " 

The  detective  did  not  speak  the  truth.  The  fact  is,  he 
had  just  been  struck  by  the  strange  coincidence  of  these 
two  events,  ins.,  the  murderer's  attempted  suicide,  and 
the  fall  of  the  judge. 

But  he  did  not  allow  the  vague  presentiment  that 
flitted  through  his  mind  to  assume  form. 

What  connection  could  there  be  between  the  two 
facts  ? 

Besides,  he  never  allowed  himself  to  be  governed 
by  prejudice,  nor  had  he  as  yet  enriched  his  formulary 
by  the  axiom  which  he  afterward  professed : 

"  Regard  with  distrust  all  circumstances  which  seem 
to  favor  our  secret  desires." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  127 

It  is  certain  that  Lecoq  was  far  from  being  rejoiced 
at  M.  d'Escorval's  accident,  and  that  he  would  gladly 
have  given  a  great  deal  if  the  misfortune  could  have 
been  prevented.  But  he  could  not  help  saying  to  him- 
self that  he  would,  by  this  stroke  of  misfortune,  be 
freed  from  all  further  disagreeable  connection  with  a 
man  whose  superciliousness  and  disdain  had,  as  it  were, 
crushed  him. 

This  thought  caused  a  sensation  of  relief,  almost  of 
light-heartedness. 

"  In  that  case,"  he  remarked  to  the  door-keeper,  "  I 
shall  have  nothing  to  do  here  this  morning." 

"  You  must  be  joking.  Does  the  world  stop  moving 
because  one  man  is  disabled  ?  It  is  only  an  hour  since 
the  news  came;  but  all  the  urgent  business  that  M. 
d'Escorval  had  in  charge  has  already  been  divided 
among  the  other  judges." 

"  I  came  here  about  that  terrible  affair  that  occurred 
night  before  last." 

"  Eh !  Why  did  you  not  say  so  ?  They  are  waiting 
for  you,  and  a  messenger  has  been  sent  to  the  prefecture 
for  you  already.  Monsieur  Segmuller  has  charge  of  the 
case." 

Deep  lines  of  doubt  and  perplexity  appeared  on 
Lecoq's  forehead.  He  tried  to  remember  the  judge  that 
bore  this  name,  and  wondered  whether  he  should  find 
himself  en  rapport  with  him. 

"  Yes,"  resumed  the  door-keeper,  who  seemed  to  be 
in  a  talkative  mood :  "  Monsieur  Segmuller — you  do 
not  seem  to  know  him.  He  is  a  worthy  man,  not  so 
grim  in  manner  as  most  of  our  gentlemen.  It  was  of 
him  that  a  prisoner  said  one  day,  after  his  examination 
was  over : '  That  devil  there  has  pumped  me  so  well  that 


128  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

I  shall  certainly  have  my  head  chopped  off ;  but,  never- 
theless, he  is  a  good  fellow ! ' ' 

It  was  with  a  heart  somewhat  lightened  by  these 
favorable  reports,  that  Lecoq  went  and  tapped  at  the 
door  that  had  been  indicated,  and  which  bore  the  num- 
ber 22. 

"  Come  in !  "  called  a  pleasant  voice. 

Lecoq  entered,  and  found  himself  face  to  face  with  a 
man  about  forty  years  of  age,  tall  and  rather  corpulent, 
who  said,  at  once : 

"  Ah !  you  are  Agent  Lecoq.  Very  well — take  a  seat. 
I  am  busy  just  now  with  the  case,  but  I  will  attend  to 
you  in  five  minutes." 

Lecoq  obeyed,  and  furtively  began  a  study  of  the  man 
whose  co-laborer  he  was  to  become. 

His  exterior  corresponded  perfectly  with  the  de- 
scription given  by  the  door-keeper.  Frankness  and 
benevolence  beamed  on  his  plump  face,  which  was 
lighted  by  very  pleasant  blue  eyes. 

Still,  the  young  detective  fancied  that  it  would  not  be 
safe  to  trust  too  implicitly  to  these  benign  appearances. 

And  he  was  quite  right. 

Born  near  Strasbourg,  M.  Segmuller  was  blessed 
with  that  candid  physiognomy  that  belongs  to  almost 
all  the  children  of  blond  Alsace — a  deceitful  mask, 
which  not  unfrequently  conceals  Gascon  cunning,  ren- 
dered still  more  dangerous  by  a  union  with  extreme 
caution. 

M.  Segmuller's  mind  was  wonderfully  penetrating 
and  alert ;  but  his  system — every  judge  has  his  own — 
was  good-humor.  While  some  of  his  colleagues  were 
as  stiff  and  cutting  in  manner  as  the  sword  which  the 
statute  of  Justice  holds  in  her  hand,  he  assumed  a  sim- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  129 

ptfcity  and  a  kindness  of  demeanor,  which  never  affect- 
ed his  firmness  of  character  as  a  magistrate,  however. 

But  his  voice  had  such  a  paternal  intonation,  he  veiled 
the  subtle  meaning  of  his  questions  and  the  hearing  of 
the  answers  with  such  an  affectation  of  frankness,  that 
the  man  whom  he  questioned  forgot  the  necessity  of 
protecting  himself,  and  revealed  all.  And  while  the  cul- 
prit was  congratulating  himself  upon  getting  the  best 
of  the  judge,  the  poor  wretch  was  being  turned  inside 
out  like  a  glove. 

Beside  such  a  man,  a  grave  and  slender  clerk  would 
have  excited  distrust ;  so  he  had  chosen  one  who  was  a 
caricature  of  himself.  His  name  was  Coquet.  He  was 
short,  very  corpulent,  beardless,  and  smiling.  His 
broad  face  was  expressive  of  silliness  rather  than  good- 
humor,  and  he  was  not  particularly  bright. 

As  M.  Segmuller  had  said,  he  was  studying  the  case 
which  had  so  unexpectedly  fallen  into  his  hands. 

All  the  articles  which  Lecoq  had  collected,  from  the 
flakes  of  wool  to  the  diamond  ear-ring,  were  spread  out 
upon  the  magistrate's  desk. 

He  read  and  re-read  the  report  which  had  been  writ- 
ten by  Lecoq,  and  according  to  the  different  phases  of 
the  affair,  he  examined  the  objects  before  him,  or  con- 
sulted the  plan  of  the  ground. 

Not  at  the  end  of  five  minutes,  but  at  the  close  of  a 
good  half  hour,  he  threw  himself  back  in  his  arm-chair. 

"  Monsieur  Lecoq,"  he  said,  slowly,  "  Monsieur  d'Es- 
corval  has  informed  me  by  a  note  on  the  margin  of  this 
file  of  papers,  that  you  are  an  intelligent  man,  and  that 
we  can  trust  you." 

"  My  will,  at  least,  is  good." 

"You  speak  too  slightingly  of  yourself;  this  is  the 
first  time  that  an  agent  has  brought  me  a  report  as  com- 


i3o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

plete  as  yours.  You  are  young;  if  you  will  persevere, 
I  think  you  will  be  able  to  accomplish  great  things  in 
your  profession." 

The  young  man  bowed,  pale  with  delight,  and  stam- 
mered his  thanks. 

"  Your  opinion  in  this  matter  coincides  with  mine," 
continued  M.  Segmuller.  "  The  government  attorney 
informs  me  that  Monsieur  d'Escorval  shares  this  opin- 
ion. An  enigma  is  before  us ;  and  it  ought  to  be  solved." 

"  Oh !  we  shall  solve  it,  shall  we  not,  Monsieur  ?  " 
exclaimed  Lecoq. 

He  indeed  felt  capable  of  extraordinary  things;  he 
was  ready  to  go  through  fire  and  water  for  the  judge 
who  had  received  him  so  kindly.  Such  intense  enthu- 
siasm sparkled  in  his  eyes  that  M.  Segmuller  could  not 
restrain  a  smile. 

"  I  have  strong  hopes  of  it  myself,"  he  responded ; 
"  but  we  are  far  from  the  end.  Now,  what  have  you 
been  doing  since  yesterday.  Did  Monsieur  d'Escorval 
give  you  any  orders?  Have  you  obtained  any  new 
information  ?  " 

"  I  think,  Monsieur,  that  I  have  not  wasted  any  time." 

And  immediately,  with  rare  precision  and  with  that 
happiness  of  expression  which  seldom  fails  the  man 
who  is  thoroughly  en  rapport  with  his  subject,  Lecoq 
related  all  that  he  had  discovered  since  his  departure 
from  the  Poivriere. 

He  recounted  the  daring  acts  committed  by  the  man 
whom  he  believed  an  accomplice,  the  points  he  had 
noted  in  the  murderer's  conduct,  and  the  latter's  un- 
successful attempt  at  self-destruction.  He  repeated  the 
testimony  given  by  the  coachman,  and  by  the  comierge; 
he  read  the  letter  he  had  received  from  Father  Absinthe. 

In  conclusion,  he  placed  upon  the  judge's  desk  some 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  131 

of  the  earth  he  had  procured  in  such  a  strange  man- 
ner, and  deposited  beside  it  about  the  same  quantity  of 
dust  that  he  had  brought  from  the  floor  of  the  cell  in 
which  the  murderer  had  been  confined  at  the  Barriere 
d'ltalie. 

Then,  when  he  had  explained  the  reasons  which  had 
influenced  him,  and  the  conclusions  that  might  be 
drawn  from  the  discovery  he  had  made : 

"  Ah !  you  are  right !  "  exclaimed  M.  Segmuller,  "  it 
may  be  that  you  have  discovered  a  means  to  confound 
all  the  denials  of  the  prisoner.  It  certainly  is  an  evi- 
dence of  surprising  sagacity  on  your  part." 

It  must  have  been,  for  Coquet,  the  clerk,  nodded  ap- 
provingly. 

"  Wonderful !  "  he  murmured.  "  I  should  never  have 
thought  of  that." 

While  he  was  talking,  M.  Segmuller  had  carefully 
placed  all  the  articles  of  conviction  in  a  large  drawer, 
from  which  they  would  not  emerge  until  the  trial. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  I  understand  the  case  well  enough 
to  examine  the  Widow  Chupin.  We  may  gain  some  in- 
formation from  her." 

He  laid  his  hand  upon  the  bell ;  Lecoq  made  an  almost 
supplicating  gesture. 

"  I  have  one  great  favor  to  ask,  Monsieur." 

"What  is  it?  speak." 

"  I  should  deem  it  a  great  favor  if  you  would  permit 
me  to  be  present  at  this  examination.  It  takes  so  lit- 
tle, sometimes,  to  awaken  a  happy  inspiration." 

The  law  says  that  the  accused  shall  first  be  privately 
examined  by  the  judge,  assisted  by  his  clerk ;  but  it  also 
allows  the  presence  of  agents  of  the  police  force. 

"  Very  well,"  responded  M.  Segmuller,  "  remain." 

He  rang  the  bell;  a  messenger  appeared. 


i32  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Has  the  Widow  Chupin  been  brought  here,  in  com- 
pliance with  my  orders  ?  " 

"  Yes,  Monsieur ;  she  is  here  in  the  gallery." 

"  Let  her  come  in." 

An  instant  after,  the  woman  entered,  bowing  to  the 
right  and  to  the  left. 

This  was  not  her  first  appearance  before  a  magistrate, 
and  she  was  not  ignorant  of  the  respect  that  is  due  to 
justice. 

So  she  had  arrayed  herself  for  her  examination  with 
the  utmost  care. 

She  had  arranged  her  rebellious  gray  hair  in  smooth 
bandeaux,  and  she  had  done  the  best  possible  with  the 
plain  clothing  she  wore.  She  had  even  persuaded 
the  keeper  of  the  prison  to  purchase  for  her,  with  the 
money  she  had  upon  her  person  at  the  time  of  her  arrest, 
a  black  crepe  bonnet  and  two  white  pocket-handker- 
chiefs, which  she  intended  to  deluge  with  her  tears  at 
pathetic  moments. 

To  second  these  artifices  of  the  toilette,  she  had 
drawn  upon  her  repertoire  of  grimaces  for  an  innocent, 
sad,  and  yet  resigned  air,  well  fitted,  in  her  opinion,  at 
least,  to  win  the  sympathy  and  indulgence  of  the  magis- 
trate upon  whom  her  fate  was  to  depend. 

Thus  disguised,  with  downcast  eyes  and  honeyed 
voice,  she  looked  so  unlike  the  terrible  termagant  of  the 
Poivriere,  that  her  customers  would  scarcely  have 
recognized  her. 

An  honest  old  bachelor  would  have  been  more  than 
likely  to  offer  her  twenty  francs  a  month  to  take  charge 
of  his  house. 

But  M.  Segmuller  had  unmasked  so  many  hypocrites 
that  he  was  not  deceived  for  a  moment ;  and  the  thought 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  133 

that  entered  his  mind  was  the  same  that  sparkled  in  the 
eyes  of  Lecoq : 

"  What  an  old  comedienne! " 

His  penetration,  it  is  true,  may  have  been  consider- 
ably aided  by  some  notes  he  had  just  perused.  These 
notes  were  simply  an  abstract  of  the  woman's  former 
life,  which  had  been  furnished  by  the  chief  of  police,  at 
the  request  of  the  judge. 

M.  Segmuller,  by  a  gesture,  warned  his  smiling  clerk 
to  be  ready  to  write. 

"  Your  name  ?  "  he  demanded,  brusquely. 

"  Aspassie  Clapard,  my  good  sir,"  replied  the  old 
woman ;  "  the  Widow  Chupin,  at  your  service,  sir." 

She  executed  a  profound  courtesy,  and  added: 

"A  lawful  widow,  you  understand,  sir;  I  have  my 
marriage  papers  safe  in  my  chest  at  home ;  and  if  you 
wish  to  send  anyone " 

"Your  age?"  interrupted  the  judge. 

"  Fifty-four." 

"  Your  profession  ?  " 

"  Dealer  in  liquors,  in  Paris,  near  the  Rue  du 
Chateau-des-Rentiers,  a  few  steps  from  the  fortifica- 
tions." 

These  questions  as  to  individuality  are  always  the 
first  which  are  addressed  to  a  prisoner. 

They  give  both  the  judge  and  the  accused  time  to 
study  each  other,  to  try  each  other's  strength,  as  it  were, 
before  engaging  in  a  serious  struggle;  as  two  adver- 
saries about  to  engage  in  mortal  combat  first  try  a  few 
passes  with  foils. 

"  Now,"  resumed  the  judge,  "  we  will  note  your  ante- 
cedents. Have  you  not  already  been  found  guilty  of 
several  offences  ?  " 

The  old  sinner  was  too  well  versed  in  criminal  pro- 


134  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

cedure  to  be  ignorant  of  those  famous  records,  which 
render  the  denial  of  identity  such  a  difficult  matter  in 
France. 

"  I  have  been  unfortunate,  my  good  Judge,"  whined 
the  old  woman. 

"  Yes,  a  number  of  times.  First,  you  were  arrested 
on  the  charge  of  being  a  receiver  of  stolen  goods." 

"  But  it  was  proved  that  I  was  innocent,  that  my 
character  was  whiter  than  snow.  My  poor,  dear  hus- 
band had  been  deceived  by  his  comrades ;  that  was  all." 

"  Possibly.  But  while  your  husband  was  submitting 
to  his  sentence,  you  were  sentenced  to  imprisonment, 
first  for  one  month,  and  afterward  for  a  term  of  three 
months,  for  stealing." 

"  I  had  enemies  who  did  their  best  to  ruin  me." 

"  Again  you  were  imprisoned  for  having  led  some 
young  girls  astray." 

"  They  were  good-for-nothing  hussies,  my  dear  sir, 
heartless  and  unprincipled  creatures.  I  did  them  many 
favors,  and  then  they  went  and  related  a  batch  of  false- 
hoods to  ruin  me.  I  have  always  been  too  kind  and 
considerate  toward  others." 

The  list  of  the  woman's  offences  was  not  exhausted, 
but  M.  Segmuller  thought  it  useless  to  continue. 

"  Such  is  your  past,"  he  resumed.  "  At  the  present 
time  your  saloon  is  the  resort  of  criminals  and  malefac- 
tors. Your  son  is  serving  out  his  fourth  term  of  im- 
prisonment; and  it  has  been  clearly  proved  that  you 
abetted  him  and  assisted  him  in  his  evil  deeds.  Your 
daughter-in-law,  by  some  miracle,  has  remained 
honest  and  industrious,  so  you  have  tormented  and 
abused  her  to  such  an  extent  that  the  authorities  have 
been  obliged  to  interfere.  When  she  left  your  house 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  135 

you  tried  to  keep  her  child — in  order  to  rear  it  like  its 
father,  undoubtedly." 

"  This,"  thought  the  old  woman,  "  is  the  moment  to 
soften  the  judge's  heart."  She  drew  her  new  handker- 
chief from  her  pocket,  and  endeavored,  by  rubbing  her 
eyes  energetically,  to  extract  a  tear.  One  might  have 
drawn  tears  from  a  piece  of  parchment  just  as  easily. 

"  Oh,  unhappy  me !  "  she  groaned ;  "  to  suspect,  to 
think  that  I  would  harm  my  grandson,  my  poor  little 
Toto !  I  should  be  worse  than  the  wild  beasts,  to  wish 
to  draw  my  own  flesh  and  blood  down  to  perdition." 

But  these  lamentations  did  not  seem  to  have  much 
effect  on  the  judge.  She  saw  this,  and,  suddenly 
changing  her  mode  of  attack  and  her  tone,  she  began 
her  justification. 

She  did  not  positively  deny  her  past ;  but  she  threw 
all  the  blame  on  destiny,  which  is  not  just,  which  favors 
some,  but  not  usually  the  best,  people,  and  which  shows 
no  mercy  to  others. 

Alas !  she  was  one  of  those  who  have  had  no  chance 
in  life,  having  always  been  innocent  and  persecuted. 
In  this  last  affair,  for  example,  how  was  she  to  blame? 
A  triple  murder  had  stained  her  saloon  with  blood ;  but 
the  most  respectable  establishments  are  not  exempt 
from  similar  catastrophes. 

She  had  had  time  for  reflection  in  her  solitary  con- 
finement, she  had  searched  the  deepest  recesses  of  her 
conscience,  and  she  was  still  unable  to  discover  what 
blame  could  justly  be  laid  at  her  door. 

"  I  can  tell  you,"  interrupted  the  judge.  "  You  are 
accused  of  impeding  the  action  of  the  law." 

" Mon  Dieu!  is  it  possible?" 

"  And  of  seeking  to  defeat  justice.  This  is  equiva- 
lent to  complicity,  Widow  Chupin;  take  care.  When 


136  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

the  police  entered  your  cabin,  after  this  crime  had  been 
committed,  you  refused  to  answer  their  questions." 

"  I  told  them  all  that  I  knew." 

"  Very  well ;  you  must  repeat  it  to  me." 

M.  Segmuller  had  reason  to  be  content.  He  had  con- 
ducted the  examination  in  such  a  way  that  the  Widow 
Chupin  had  been  naturally  led  to  undertake  the  rela- 
tion of  the  facts  herself. 

This  was  an  excellent  point  gained.  Direct  questions 
would,  perhaps,  have  put  this  shrewd  old  woman,  who 
retained  all  her  sang-froid,  upon  her  guard ;  and  it  was 
necessary  that  she  should  not  suspect  what  the  judge 
knew,  or  what  he  was  ignorant  of,  in  relation  to  the 
affair. 

So,  by  leaving  her  to  her  own  devices,  he  might  be 
able  to  discover  in  its  entirety  the  version  which  she 
proposed  to  substitute  for  the  truth. 

This  version,  neither  the  judge  nor  Lecoq  doubted, 
had  been  concerted  at  the  station-house  of  the  Place 
dTtalie  between  the  murderer  and  the  pretended  drunk- 
ard, and  afterward  transmitted  to  the  widow  by  the 
bold  accomplice. 

"  Oh !  the  affair  was  very  simple,  my  good  sir,"  began 
the  honest  tavern-keeper.  "  Sunday  evening  I  was  sit- 
ting alone  by  the  fire  in  my  establishment,  when  sud- 
denly the  door  opened,  and  I  saw  three  men  and  two 
ladies  enter." 

M.  Segmuller  and  the  detective  exchanged  a  rapid 
glance.  The  accomplice,  then,  had  seen  Lecoq  and  his 
companions  examining  the  foot-prints,  and  did  not  in- 
tend to  deny  the  presence  of  the  two  women. 

"  What  time  was  this  ?  "  demanded  the  judge. 

"  About  eleven  o'clock." 

"  Go  on." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  13? 

"  As  soon  as  they  sat  down,  they  ordered  a  bowl  of 
wine,  a  la  Frangaise.  Without  boasting,  I  may  say  that 
I  have  not  an  equal  in  preparing  this  beverage.  Of 
course,  I  waited  upon  them,  and  afterward,  having  a 
blouse  to  mend  for  my  boy,  I  went  up  to  my  room, 
which  is  on  the  floor  above." 

"  Leaving  these  people  alone  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  Judge." 

"  That  showed  a  great  deal  of  confidence  on  your 
part." 

The  widow  sadly  shook  her  head.  "  When  one  has 
nothing,"  she  sighed,  "  one  has  no  fear  of  thieves." 

"  Go  on — go  on." 

"  Well,  I  had  been  up  there  about  half  an  hour,  when 
I  heard  someone  below  call  out :  '  Eh !  old  woman ! '  I 
went  down  and  found  a  large,  heavily  bearded  man, 
who  had  just  come  in.  He  wished  a  glass  of  brandy.  I 
waited  upon  him ;  he  was  seated  alone  at  a  table." 

"  And  then  you  went  back  upstairs  again  ?  "  inter- 
rupted the  judge. 

Did  the  Widow  Chupin  comprehend  the  concealed 
irony?  Her  physiognomy  did  not  allow  you  to  divine 
whether  such  was  the  case  or  not. 

"  Precisely,  my  good  sir,"  she  replied.  "  Only  this 
time  I  had  scarcely  taken  up  my  needle  before  I  heard 
a  terrible  uproar  in  the  saloon.  I  hurried  downstairs 
to  put  a  stop  to  it — ah  well !  yes !  The  three  first-comers 
had  fallen  upon  the  new-comer,  and  they  were  beating 
him,  my  good  sir,  they  were  killing  him.  I  screamed. 
Just  then  the  man  who  had  come  in  alone  drew  a  pistol 
from  his  pocket ;  he  fired  and  killed  one  of  his  assailants, 
who  fell  to  the  ground.  I  was  so  frightened  that  I 
crouched  on  the  staircase  and  put  my  apron  over  my 
head  that  I  might  not  see  the  blood  run.  An  instant 


138  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

later  Monsieur  Gevrol  arrived  with  his  men,  they  forced 
open  the  door,  and  behold " 

These  wretched  old  women,  who  have  trafficked  in 
every  sort  of  vice,  and  who  have  tasted  every  disgrace, 
sometimes  attain  a  perfection  of  hypocrisy  which  de- 
ceives the  most  subtle  penetration. 

A  man  who  had  not  been  warned  beforehand,  would 
certainly  have  been  impressed  by  the  apparent  candor 
of  the  Widow  Chupin,  so  naturally  was  it  put  on,  so 
perfect  was  the  affectation  of  frankness,  surprise,  and 
fear  which  she  displayed. 

Unfortunately  her  eyes  were  against  her — her  small 
gray  eyes,  which  were  as  restless  as  those  of  a  caged 
animal,  and  which  gleamed  with  cunning. 

Meanwhile,  she  was  mentally  rejoicing  at  the  success 
of  her  narrative,  being  convinced  that  the  judge  placed 
implicit  confidence  in  her  revelation. 

In  fact,  not  a  single  muscle  of  M.  Segmuller's  face 
had  betrayed  his  impressions  during  the  old  woman's 
recital — a  recital  which,  by  the  way,  had  been  uttered 
with  prestidigitator-like  volubility. 

When  she  paused,  out  of  breath,  he  rose  and  without 
a  word  approached  his  clerk  to  look  over  the  notes 
which  Coquet  had  taken  of  this  first  part  of  the  exam- 
ination. 

From  the  corner  where  he  was  quietly  seated,  Lecoq 
did  not  cease  his  watch  over  the  prisoner. 

"  She  thinks,"  he  was  saying  to  himself,  "  that  it  is 
all  over;  and  that  her  deposition  is  accepted  without 
question." 

If  such  were,  indeed,  the  widow's  opinion,  she  was 
soon  to  be  undeceived. 

M.  Segmuller,  after  a  few  low-spoken  words  to  the 
smiling  Coquet,  took  a  seat  near  the  fire-place,  con- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  13$ 

vinced  that  the  moment  had  come  for  pushing  the  ex- 
amination more  strongly. 

"  So,  Widow  Chupin,"  he  began,  "  you  affirm  that 
you  did  not  remain  for  a  single  moment  with  the  people 
who  came  to  your  saloon  for  refreshments  ?  " 

"  Not  a  moment." 

"  They  entered  and  gave  their  order,  you  waited  OH 
them,  and  you  left  them  at  once  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  good  sir." 

"  It  seems  to  me  impossible  that  you  should  not  have 
caught  some  words  of  their  conversation.  What  were 
they  talking  about  ?  " 

"  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  watching  and  playing  the 
spy  over  my  customers." 

"  Did  you  not  hear  something  ?  " 

"  Nothing." 

The  judge  shrugged  his  shoulders  with  an  air  of 
commiseration. 

"  In  other  words,"  he  remarked,  "  you  refuse  to  in- 
form the  justice " 

"  Oh,  my  good  sir !  " 

"  Allow  me  to  finish.  All  these  improbable  stories 
about  leaving  the  room,  and  mending  your  son's  clothes 
in  your  chamber,  you  have  invented,  so  that  you  could 
say  to  me : '  I  have  seen  nothing ;  I  have  heard  nothing ; 
I  know  nothing.'  If  such  is  the  system  of  defence  you 
have  adopted,  I  warn  you  that  it  will  be  impossible  for 
you  to  sustain  it,  and  that  it  will  not  be  admitted  by  any 
tribunal." 

"  It  is  not  a  system  of  defence ;  it  is  the  truth." 

M.  Segmuller  seemed  to  reflect  for  a  moment ;  then, 
suddenly,  he  said : 

"  Then  you  have  nothing  to  tell  me  about  this 
miserable  assassin  ?  " 


i4o  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  But  he  is  not  an  assassin,  my  good  sir." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  such  an  assertion?  " 

"  I  mean  that  he  has  only  killed  others  in  protecting 
himself.  They  sought  a  quarrel  with  him;  he  stood 
alone  against  three  men ;  he  saw  very  plainly  that  he 
could  expect  no  mercy  from  brigands  who " 

She  suddenly  checked  herself,  greatly  embarrassed, 
as  if  reproaching  herself  for  having  gone  too  far;  for 
having  given  too  much  liberty  to  her  tongue. 

She  might  reasonably  hope,  it  is  true,  that  the  judge 
had  not  observed  her  indiscretion. 

A  brand  had  fallen  from  the  fire  down  upon  the 
hearth;  he  had  taken  the  tongs,  and  his  attention 
seemed  to  be  engrossed  in  the  task  of  artistically  ar- 
ranging his  fire. 

"  Who  can  tell  me — who  can  assure  me  that  it  was 
not  this  man,  on  the  contrary,  who  first  attacked  the 
others  ?  "  he  murmured,  thoughtfully. 

"  I  can,"  declared  the  widow,  stoutly ;  "  I  can 
swear  it." 

M.  Segmuller  looked  up,  intense  astonishment  writ- 
ten upon  every  feature. 

"  How  can  you  know  that  ?  "  he  said,  slowly.  "  How 
can  you  swear  it  ?  You  were  in  your  chamber  when  the 
quarrel  began." 

Silent  and  motionless  in  his  chair,  Lecoq  was  in- 
wardly jubilant.  He  thought  that  this  was  a  most 
happy  result,  and  that  but  a  few  questions  more  would 
be  required  to  make  the  old  woman  contradict  herself. 
He  also  assured  himself  that  the  proofs  of  her  sim- 
plicity were  increasing.  Without  a  secret  interest,  the 
widow  would  never  have  undertaken  the  defence  of 
the  prisoner  so  imprudently. 

"  But  you  have  probably  been  led  to  this  conclusion 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  141 

by  your  knowledge  of  the  character  of  the  murderer, 
with  whom  you  are  apparently  well  acquainted,"  re- 
marked the  judge. 

"  I  never  laid  eyes  upon  him  until  that  evening." 

"  But  he  must  have  been  in  your ,  establishment 
before?" 

"  Never  in  his  life." 

"  Oh,  oh !  Then,  you  can  explain  how  it  was  that  on 
entering  the  bar-room,  while  you  were  sitting  in  your 
room  upstairs,  this  unknown  person — this  stranger — 
should  have  cried :  '  Here,  old  woman  ! '  Did  he  merely 
guess  that  the  establishment  was  kept  by  a  woman ;  and 
that  this  woman  was  no  longer  young  ?  " 

"  He  did  not  say  that." 

"  Reflect  a  moment;  you,  yourself,  just  told  me  so." 

"  I  did  not  say  that,  my  good  sir." 

"  Yes,  you  did,  and  I  will  prove  it  by  reading  your 
deposition  to  you.  Coquet,  read,  if  you  please." 

The  smiling  clerk  at  once  found  the  passage,  and  in 
his  clearest  voice  he  read  these  words,  taken  down  as 
they  fell  from  the  Widow  Chupin's  lips. 

"  I  had  been  upstairs  about  half  an  hour,  when  I 
heard  someone  call  from  below :  '  Eh !  old  woman ! '  I 
came  down,"  etc.,  etc. 

"  Are  you  convinced  ?  "  insisted  M.  Segmuller. 

The  assurance  of  the  old  offender  was  sensibly  dimin- 
ished by  this  setback.  But  instead  of  discussing  the  sub- 
ject further,  the  judge  glided  over  it  as  if  he  did  not 
attach  much  importance  to  the  incident. 

"  And  the  other  men,"  he  resumed,  "  those  who  were 
killed ;  did  you  know  them  ?  " 

"  No,  Monsieur,  no  more  than  I  knew  Adam  and 
Eve." 

"And  were  you  not  surprised  to  see  three  persons 


14*  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

entirely  unknown  to  you,  and  accompanied  by  two 
ladies,  enter  your  establishment  ?  " 

"  Sometimes  chance " 

"  Come !  you  do  not  think  what  you  are  saying.  It 
was  not  chance  that  brought  these  customers,  in  the 
middle  of  the  night,  to  a  saloon  that  has  a  reputation 
like  yours — a  saloon  that  is  situated  so  far  from  any 
frequented  route,  and  in  the  midst  of  a  desolate  waste." 

"  I  am  not  a  sorceress ;  what  I  say,  that  I  think." 

"  Then  you  did  not  know  even  the  youngest  of  the 
victims,  the  man  who  was  attired  as  a  soldier,  Gustave, 
in  short?" 

"  Not  at  all." 

M.  Segmuller  noted  the  intonation  of  this  response, 
and  he  added,  more  slowly: 

"  Certainly  you  must  have  heard  allusion  made  to  a 
friend  of  this  Gustave,  a  man  called  Lacheneur?  " 

On  hearing  this  name,  the  proprietress  of  the  Poi- 
vriere  became  visibly  embarrassed,  and  it  was  in  an 
altered  voice  that  she  stammered : 

"  Lacheneur !  Lacheneur !  I  have  never  heard  that 
name  mentioned." 

She  denied  it,  but  the  effect  that  had  been  produced 
was  evident,  and  Lecoq  secretly  vowed  that  he  would 
find  this  Lacheneur,  or  perish  in  the  attempt.  Was 
there  not  among  the  articles  of  conviction  a  letter  from 
him,  written,  as  he  had  reason  to  believe,  in  a  cafe  on 
the  Boulevard  Beaumarchais  ? 

With  such  a  clew  and  with  patience ! 

"  Now,"  continued  M.  Segmuller,  "  we  will  speak  of 
the  women  who  accompanied  these  unfortunate  men. 
What  sort  of  women  were  they  ?  " 

"  Oh !  some  women  of  no  account  whatever !  " 

"  Were  they  richly  dressed  ?  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  143 

"  Very  miserably,  on  the  contrary." 

"  Well,  give  me  a  description  of  them." 

"  They  were — my  good  Judge,  I  scarcely  saw  them. 
They  were  large  and  powerfully  built  women,  so  much 
so,  indeed,  that  at  first,  it  being  Shrove  Sunday,  I  took 
them  for  men  in  disguise.  They  had  hands  like  shoul- 
ders of  mutton,  gruff  voices,  and  very  black  hair.  They 
were  as  dark  as  mulattoes " 

"  Enough !  "  interrupted  the  judge ;  "  I  require  no 
further  proof  of  your  dishonesty.  These  women  were 
small,  and  one  of  them  was  remarkably  fair." 

"  I  swear  to  you,  my  good  sir " 

"  Do  not  declare  it  upon  oath.  I  shall  be  forced  to 
confront  you  with  an  honest  man,  who  will  tell  you  that 
you  are  a  liar !  " 

She  did  not  reply,  and  there  was  a  moment's  silence. 
M.  Segmuller  decided  to  deal  a  decisive  blow. 

"  Do  you  also  affirm  that  you  had  nothing  of  a  com- 
promising character  in  the  pocket  of  your  apron?  "  he 
demanded. 

"  Nothing — you  may  have  it  examined ;  it  was  left  in 
the  house." 

"  Then  you  still  persist  ?  "  resumed  M.  Segmuller. 
"  Believe  me,  you  are  wrong.  Reflect — it  depends 
solely  upon  your  deposition  whether  you  go  to  the  Court 
of  Assizes  as  a  witness,  or  as  an  accomplice." 

Although  the  widow  seemed  crushed  by  this  unex- 
pected blow,  the  judge  said  no  more.  Her  deposition 
was  read,  she  signed  it  and  went  away. 

M.  Segmuller  immediately  seated  himself  at  his  desk, 
filled  out  a  blank  and  handed  it  to  his  clerk,  saying : 

"  This,  Coquet,  is  an  order  to  be  given  to  the  keeper 
of  the  prison.  Tell  him  to  send  the  murderer  here  at 
once." 


144  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 


CHAPTER  XVII 

To  extort  a  confession  from  a  man  interested  in  pre- 
serving silence  and  persuaded  that  no  proofs  can  be  pro- 
duced against  him,  is  certainly  a  difficult  task;  but  to 
demand  the  truth  from  a  woman;  under  similar  circum- 
stances, is,  as  they  say  at  the  Palais  de  Justice,  "  at- 
tempting to  make  the  devil  confess." 

After  all,  what  had  been  gained  by  this  examination, 
which  had  been  conducted  with  the  greatest  possible 
care  by  a  judge  who  knew  how  to  manage  his  questions 
as  well  as  a  skilful  general  knows  how  to  manoeuvre  his 
troops  and  place  them  in  the  best  possible  positions. 

They  had  discovered  unexceptionable  proof  of  the 
Widow  Chupin's  connivance  with  the  murderer,  and 
nothing  more. 

"  That  old  hag  knows  all,"  murmured  Lecoq. 

"  Yes,"  replied  the  judge,  "  it  is  almost  certain  that 
she  knew  the  people  who  came  to  her  house — the 
women,  the  victims,  the  murderer — all  of  them,  in  fact ; 
but  it  is  certain  that  she  knew  this  Gustave — I  read  it  in 
her  eyes.  I  am  also  convinced  that  she  knows  this 
Lacheneur — this  man  upon  whom  the  dying  soldier 
breathed  vengeance — this  mysterious  personage  who 
evidently  possesses  the  key  to  the  enigma.  This  man 
must  be  found." 

"  Ah !  I  will  find  him  if  I  have  to  question  each  of  the 
eleven  hundred  thousand  men  who  walk  the  streets  of 
Paris!" 

This  was  promising  so  much  that  the  judge,  in  spite 
of  his  preoccupation,  could  not  repress  a  smile. 

"  If  this  old  woman  would  only  decide  to  make  a 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  145 

clean  breast  of  it  at  her  next  examination !  "  remarked 
Lecoq. 

"  Yes.    But  she  will  never  speak." 

The  detective  shook  his  head  despondingly.  Such 
was  his  own  opinion.  He  did  not  delude  himself  with 
false  hopes,  and  he  had  noticed  between  the  Widow 
Chupin's  eyebrows,  those  furrows  which  betray  the 
senseless  obstinacy  of  the  brute. 

"Women  never  confess,"  resumed  the  judge;  "and 
when  they  seem  to  resign  themselves  to  making  a  revela- 
tion, it  is  only  because  they  hope  they  have  found  a  way 
to  mislead  the  examiner.  Evidence  will  crush  the  most 
obstinate  man;  he  ceases  to  struggle;  he  makes  a  con- 
fession. A  woman  scoffs  at  evidence.  Show  her  the 
sun,  and  she  will  close  her  eyes  and  reply :  '  It  is  night/ 
Men  plan  and  combine  different  systems  of  defence  ac- 
cording to  the  social  position  in  which  they  were  born. 
Women  have  but  one  system,  whatever  their  condition 
in  life.  They  deny  everything,  and  always;  and  they 
weep.  When  I  push  the  Chupin  with  disagreeable  ques- 
tions, on  her  next  examination,  rest  assured  she  will 
turn  her  eyes  into  a  fountain  of  tears." 

In  his  impatience,  he  angrily  stamped  his  foot.  He 
had  many  weapons  in  his  arsenal ;  but  he  could  find  no 
weapon  powerful  enough  to  break  a  woman's  dogged 
resistance. 

"  If  I  only  understood  the  motive  that  guides  this 
old  hag !  "  he  continued. '  "  But  not  a  clew !  Who  can 
tell  me  what  powerful  interest  commands  her  to  be 
silent?  Is  it  her  own  cause  that  she  is  defending?  Is 
she  an  acco'mplice  ?  Who  will  prove  to  us  that  she  did 
not  aid  the  murderer  in  planning  an  ambuscade?  " 

"  Yes,"  responded  Lecoq,  slowly,  "  yes ;  this  sup- 
position very  naturally  presents  itself  to  the  mind.  But 


146  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

think  a  moment;  such  a  theory  would  prove  that  the 
premises  which  you  admitted,  Monsieur,  a  short  time 
since  were  false.  If  the  Widow  Chupin  is  an  accom- 
plice, the  murderer  is  not  the  person  we  have  supposed 
him  to  be ;  he  is  simply  the  man  whom  he  seems  to  be." 

This  argument  was  apparently  convincing  to  M.  Seg- 
muller. 

"  What  is  your  opinion  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 

The  young  detective  had  formed  his  opinion.  But 
how  could  he,  an  humble  policeman,  venture  to  express 
an  opinion  when  a  judge  hesitated? 

He  fully  comprehended  that  his  position  necessitated 
extreme  reserve  on  his  part;  and  it  was  in  the  most 
modest  tone  possible  that  he  said : 

"  Why  might  not  the  pretended  drunkard  have  daz- 
zled Mother  Chupin's  eyes  with  promises  of  a  brilliant 
reward  ?  Why  might  he  not  have  promised  her  money, 
a  large  amount  ?  " 

He  paused ;  the  clerk  had  returned.  Behind  him  was 
a  soldier,  who  remained  respectfully  upon  the  thresh- 
old, his  heels  in  a  straight  line,  his  right  hand  upon  the 
visor  of  his  shako,  palm  turned  outward,  the  elbow  on 
a  level  with  his  eye,  in  accordance  with  the  ordinance. 

"  Monsieur,"  said  the  man,  "  the  keeper  of  the  prison 
sends  me  to  inquire  if  he  is  to  keep  the  Widow  Chupin 
in  solitary  confinement;  she  complains  bitterly  on  ac- 
count of  it." 

M.  Segmuller  reflected  for  a  moment. 

"  Certainly,"  he  murmured,  as  if  replying  to  an  ob- 
jection made  by  his  own  conscience ;  "  certainly,  it  is  a 
terrible  aggravation  of  one's  suffering;  but  if  I  allow 
this  woman  to  associate  with  the  other  prisoners,  she 
will  certainly  find  some  opportunity  to  communicate 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  147 

with  parties  outside.  This  must  not  be;  the  interests 
of  justice  and  of  truth  must  be  considered  first." 

This  last  thought  decided  him. 

"  It  is  decided  that  the  prisoner  must  be  kept  in  soli- 
tary confinement  until  further  orders." 

The  soldier  allowed  his  right  hand  to  fall  at  his  side, 
carried  his  right  foot  three  inches  back  of  his  left  heel, 
wheeled  around  and  departed. 

When  the  door  had  closed  on  the  soldier's  retreating 
form,  the  smiling  clerk  drew  a  large  envelope  from  his 
pocket,  and  handed  it  to  the  judge. 

"  Here  is  a  communication  from  the  keeper  of  the 
prison,"  he  remarked. 

The  judge  broke  the  seal,  and  read  aloud: 

"  I  feel  compelled  to  counsel  the  judge  to  surround 
himself  with  every  precaution  before  proceeding  to  the 
examination  of  the  prisoner,  May. 

"  Since  his  unsuccessful  attempt  at  suicide,  this 
prisoner  has  been  in  a  state  of  excitement  that  has 
obliged  us  to  confine  him  in  a  strait- jacket.  He  did  not 
close  his  eyes  during  the  night,  and  the  guards  who 
were  watching  him  expected  every  moment  to  see  him 
become  insane.  Still,  he  has  not  uttered  a  word. 

"  When  food  was  offered  him  this  morning,  he  re- 
jected it  with  horror,  and  I  should  not  be  surprised  if  it 
were  his  intention  to  starve  himself  to  death. 

"  I  have  rarely  seen  a  more  dangerous  malefactor.  I 
think  him  capable  of  almost  any  desperate  act." 

"  Ah !  "  exclaimed  the  clerk,  whose  smile  had  disap- 
peared, "  if  I  were  in  the  place  of  Monsieur  le  Juge,  I 
would  have  the  soldiers  who  brought  him  here  come  in 
with  him." 

"  What !  you — Coquet,  you,  an  old  clerk — make 
such  a  proposition !  Can  it  be  that  you  are  afraid  ?  " 


148  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Afraid !    No,  certainly  not ;  but " 

"  Nonsense !  "  interrupted  Lecoq,  in  a  tone  that  be- 
trayed his  confidence  in  his  great  strength.  "  Am  I  not 
here?" 

If  M.  Segmuller  had  seated  himself  at  his  desk,  that 
article  of  furniture  would  have  served  as  a  rampart  be- 
tween the  prisoner  and  himself.  He  usually  occupied 
that  seat;  but  after  the  fear  evinced  by  his  clerk,  he 
would  have  blushed  to  avail  himself  of  the  slightest  pro- 
tection. 

He  therefore  took  a  seat  by  the  fireplace,  as  he  had 
done  a  few  moments  before  while  questioning  the 
Chupin,  and  ordered  his  door-keeper  to  admit  the  pris- 
oner alone.  He  emphasized  the  word  "  alone." 

A  second  after  the  door  was  flung  open  with  terrible 
violence,  and  the  murderer  entered,  or  rather  precipi- 
tated himself,  into  the  room. 

Coquet  turned  pale  behind  his  table,  and  Lecoq  ad- 
vanced a  step,  ready  to  make  a  spring  forward. 

But  when  he  reached  the  centre  of  the  room,  the  pris- 
oner paused  and  looked  around  him. 

"Where  is  the  judge?"  he  inquired,  in  a  hoarse 
voice. 

"  I  am  the  judge,"  replied  M.  Segmuller. 

"  No,  the  other." 

"What  other?" 

"  The  one  who  came  to  question  me  last  evening." 

"  He  has  met  with  an  accident.  Yesterday,  after  leav- 
ing you,  he  fell  and  broke  his  leg." 

"Oh!" 

"  And  I  am  to  take  his  place." 

But  the  prisoner  was  apparently  deaf  to  the  explana- 
tion. A  stupor  had  suddenly  succeeded  his  frenzied 
excitement.  His  features,  which  had  been  so  distorted 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  149 

with  rage,  relaxed.  He  became  livid ;  he  tottered,  as  if 
about  to  fall. 

"  Compose  yourself,"  said  the  judge,  in  a  benevolent 
tone ;  "  if  you  are  too  weak  to  remain  standing,  take 
a  seat." 

Already  with  a  powerful  effort,  the  man  had  re- 
covered his  self-possession.  A  flame,  instantly  sup- 
pressed, flashed  from  his  eyes. 

"  Many  thanks  for  your  kindness,"  he  replied,  "  but 
this  is  nothing.  I  felt  a  slight  sensation  of  dizziness, 
but  it  is  over  now." 

"  Is  it  long  since  you  have  eaten  anything?  " 

"  I  have  eaten  nothing  since  this  man  " — he  pointed 
to  Lecoq — "  brought  me  some  bread  and  wine  in  the 
station-house  over  there." 

"  Do  you  not  feel  the  need  of  something?  " 

"  No — and  yet — if  you  would  be  so  good — I  would 
like  a  glass  of  water." 

"  Will  you  not  have  some  wine  with  it?  " 

"  I  should  prefer  the  pure  water." 

They  brought  him  what  he  desired. 

He  drained  the  first  glass  at  a  single  draught;  the 
second  he  drank  more  slowly. 

One  might  have  supposed  that  he  was  drinking  in  life 
itself.  He  seemed  to  have  been  born  again. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

Eighteen  out  of  every  twenty  criminals  who  appear 
before  the  judge  are  armed  with  a  more  or  less  com- 
plete plan  of  defence,  which  they  have  conceived  and 
perfected  in  their  solitary  cells. 

Innocent  or  guilty,  they  have  adopted  a  role  that  com- 


iSo  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

mences  the  instant  they  cross  the  threshold  of  that  dread 
room  where  the  magistrate  awaits  them. 

The  moment  of  the  prisoner's  entrance  is  one  in 
which  the  judge  must  bring  all  his  powers  of  penetra- 
tion into  play. 

The  attitude  of  the  man  as  surely  betrays  his  plan  of 
defence  as  an  index-table  reveals  the  contents  of  a 
book. 

But  in  this  case  M.  Segmuller  did  not  think  that  ap- 
pearances were  deceitful.  It  was  evident  to  him  that 
the  accused  had  not  thought  of  feigning  anything ;  and 
that  the  excited  frenzy  which  marked  his  entrance  was 
as  real  as  his  present  stupor. 

At  least,  all  the  danger  of  which  the  keeper  had 
spoken  was  apparently  over.  The  judge,  therefore, 
seated  himself  at  his  desk.  He  felt  more  at  ease  there, 
and  so  to  speak,  more  strong.  There  his  back  was 
turned  to  the  window,  his  face  was  half  hidden  in 
shadow ;  and  in  case  of  need,  he  could,  by  bending  over 
his  desk,  conceal  his  surprise,  or  any  sign  of  dis- 
comfiture. 

The  prisoner,  on  the  contrary,  stood  in  the  full  light, 
and  not  a  movement  of  his  features,  not  the  fluttering 
of  an  eyelid  would  escape  the  attention  of  the  judge. 

He  seemed  to  have  entirely  recovered  from  his  indis- 
position ;  and  his  features  had  assumed  an  expression 
of  careless  indifference,  or  of  complete  resignation. 

"  Do  you  feel  better?  "  inquired  M.  Segmuller. 

"  I  feel  very  well." 

"  I  hope,"  continued  the  judge,  paternally,  "  that  you 
will  know  how  to  moderate  your  transports  after  this. 
Yesterday  you  tried  to  destroy  yourself.  It  would  have 
been  another  great  crime  added  to  many  others — a  crime 
which " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  151 

With  a  brusque  gesture,  the  prisoner  interrupted 
him. 

"  I  have  committed  no  crime,"  said  he,  in  a  rough, 
but  no  longer  threatening,  voice.  "  I  was  attacked, 
and  I  defended  myself.  Anyone  has  a  right  to  do  that. 
There  were  three  enraged  men  upon  me.  It  was  a 
great  misfortune,  and  I  would  give  my  right  hand  to 
repair  it ;  but  my  conscience  does  not  reproach  me — 
that  much !  " 

"  That  much,"  was  a  contemptuous  snap  of  his  finger 
and  thumb. 

"  Yet  I  have  been  arrested  and  treated  as  an  assassin," 
he  continued.  "  When  I  saw  myself  interred  in  that 
living  tomb  which  you  call  a  secret  cell,  I  was  afraid ;  I 
lost  my  senses.  I  said  to  myself :  '  My  boy,  they  have 
buried  you  alive ;  and  it  is  better  to  die,  and  that  quickly, 
if  you  do  not  wish  to  suffer.'  Then  I  tried  to  strangle 
myself.  My  death  would  have  brought  sorrow  to  no 
one.  I  have  neither  wife  nor  child  dependent  upon  me. 
To  prevent  me  from  destroying  myself  after,  I  was 
bled ;  they  placed  me  in  a  strait-jacket,  as  if  I  were  a 
madman.  Mad !  I  really  believed  I  should  become  so. 
All  night  long  the  jailers  were  around  me,  like  children 
who  are  amusing  themselves  by  tormenting  a  chained 
animal.  They  watched  me ;  they  talked  about  me ;  they 
passed  the  candle  to  and  fro  before  my  eyes." 

All  this  was  uttered  with  intense  bitterness,  but  with- 
out any  display  of  anger — forcibly,  but  with  no  attempt 
at  oratorical  display ;  uttered,  in  short,  as  one's  deep 
emotions  and  convictions  are  always  uttered. 

And  the  same  thought  entered  the  mind  of  the  judge 
and  of  the  detective  at  the  same  instant. 

"  This  man,"  they  thought,  "  is  very  clever ;  it  will  not 
be  easy  to  get  the  advantage  of  him." 


i5*  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

After  a  moment's  reflection  M.  Segmuller  said : 

"  This  explains  your  first  act  of  despair  in  the  prison ; 
but  later,  this  morning  even,  you  refused  the  nourish- 
ment that  was  offered  to  you." 

The  man's  lowering  face  brightened  suddenly  on 
hearing  this  remark ;  he  gave  a  comical  wink,  and  finally 
burst  into  a  hearty  laugh — a  gay,  frank,  sonorous  laugh. 

"  That,"  said  he,  "  is  quite  another  thing.  Certainly, 
I  refused  all  they  offered  me,  and  now  I  will  tell  you 
why.  I  had  my  hands  confined  in  the  strait- jacket, 
and  the  jailer  tried  to  feed  me  as  a  nurse  feeds  a  baby 
with  broth.  Ah  !  no,  I  thank  you.  I  closed  my  lips  with 
all  my  strength.  Then  he  tried  to  force  open  my  mouth 
and  push  the  spoon  in,  as  he  would  open  the  mouth  of  a 
sick  dog  and  push  his  medicine  down  his  throat.  Devil 
take  his  impertinence !  I  tried  to  bite  him ;  that  is  the 
truth,  and  if  I  had  succeeded  in  getting  his  finger  be- 
tween my  teeth,  it  would  have  stayed  there.  And  only 
because  I  have  done  this,  they  raise  their  hands  to 
heaven  in  holy  horror,  and  pointing  at  me  say :  '  Here 
is  a  terrible  man !  a  horrible  rascal ! ' ' 

He  seemed  to  enjoy  the  recollection  of  the  scene  ex- 
ceedingly, for  he  burst  into  another  hearty  laugh,  to 
the  great  amazement  of  Lecoq,  and  to  the  great  scandal 
of  good  Coquet,  the  clerk. 

M.  Segmuller  also  found  it  very  difficult  to  conceal 
his  intense  surprise. 

"  You  are  too  reasonable,  I  hope,"  said  he,  at  last,  "  to 
attach  any  blame  to  these  men,  who,  in  confining  you, 
were  merely  obeying  the  orders  of  their  superior  offi- 
cers, and  who  were  only  trying  to  save  you  from  your 
own  violent  passions." 

"  Hum !  "  responded  the  prisoner,  becoming  serious 
at  once.  "  I  do,  however,  and  if  I  had  one  of  them  in 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  153 

a  corner —  But  I  shall  get  over  it.  If  I  know  myself, 
I  have  no  more  spite  in  my  composition  than  a  chicken." 

"  It  depends  only  upon  yourself  how  you  are  to  be 
treated;  be  calm  and  they  will  never  place  you  in  a 
strait-jacket.  But  you  must  be  quiet  and  well-behaved." 

The  murderer  sadly  shook  his  head. 

"  I  shall  be  very  prudent  hereafter,"  said  he ;  "  but  it 
is  terribly  hard  to  stay  in  prison  when  one  has  nothing 
to  do.  If  I  had  comrades,  we  could  laugh  and  chat,  and 
the  time  would  slip  by;  but  to  remain  alone,  entirely 
alone,  in  that  cold  cell,  where  one  hears  not  even  a 
sound — it  is  horrible.  It  is  so  damp  there  that  the 
water  trickles  down  the  walls,  and  one  might  swear  that 
the  moisture  was  real  tears,  men's  tears,  issuing  from 
the  stone." 

The  judge  bent  over  the  desk  to  make  a  note.  The 
word  "  comrades  "  had  attracted  his  attention,  and  be 
proposed  to  make  the  prisoner  explain  it  later. 

"  If  you  are  innocent,"  he  remarked,  "  you  will  soon 
be  released;  but  it  is  necessary  to  establish  your  inno- 
cence." 

"What  must  I  do  to  establish  it?" 

"  Tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth :  answer  honestly  and 
unreservedly  the  questions  I  shall  put  to  you." 

"  As  for  that,  you  may  depend  upon  me." 

He  lifted  his  hands,  as  if  to  call  upon  God  and  man 
to  witness  his  sincerity.  M.  Segmuller  ordered  him  to 
drop  it,  adding: 

"  Parties  who  are  accused  do  not  take  the  oath." 

"  Indeed !  "  said  the  man,  with  an  astonished  air ; 
"  that  is  strange !  " 

Although  the  judge  had  apparently  paid  but  little  at- 
tention to  the  prisoner,  he  had  not  failed  to  notice  his 
every  movement.  He  had  desired  to  reassure  him,  to 


i54  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

make  him  feel  at  ease,  to  quiet  his  suspicions  as  much  as 
possible;  and  he  believed  that  this  result  had  been  at- 
tained. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  you  will  give  me  your  attention ; 
and  do  not  forget  that  your  liberty  depends  upon  your 
frankness.  What  is  your  name  ?  " 

"  May." 

"  What  is  your  Christian  name  ?  " 

"  I  have  none." 

"  That  is  impossible." 

A  movement  of  the  prisoner  betrayed  an  impatience 
which  was  quickly  suppressed. 

"  This,"  he  replied,  "  is  the  third  time  since  yester- 
day I  have  received  that  answer.  What  I  told  you  is 
the  truth,  however.  If  I  were  a  liar,  nothing  would  be 
easier  than  for  me  to  tell  you  that  my  name  was  Peter, 
James,  or  John.  But  lying  is  not  my  forte.  Really,  I 
have  no  Christian  name.  If  it  were  a  question  of  sur- 
names, it  would  be  quite  another  thing.  I  have  had 
plenty  of  them." 

"What  were  they?" 

"  Let  me  see — to  commence  with,  when  I  was  with 
Father  Fougasse,  I  was  called  Affiloir,  because,  you 
see " 

"Who  was  this  Father  Fougasse?" 

"  The  king  of  men  for  wild  beasts,  Monsieur.  Ah ! 
he  could  boast  of  a  menagerie  that  was  a  menagerie. 
Tigers,  lions,  paroquets  of  every  color,  serpents  as  large 
as  your  thigh — he  had  everything.  But  unfortu- 
nately  " 

Was  the  man  jesting,  or  was  he  in  earnest  ?  It  was  so 
hard  to  decide,  that  M.  Segmuller  and  Lecoq  were 
equally  in  doubt.  Coquet,  while  writing  his  report, 
laughed. 


"  Enough,"  interrupted  the  judge.  "  How  old  are 
you?" 

"  Forty-four  or  forty-five  years  of  age." 

"  Where  were  you  born  ?  " 

"  In  Brittany/  probably." 

In  this  reply  M.  Segmuller  thought  he  discovered  an 
inclination  to  levity,  which  must  be  repressed. 

"  I  warn  you,"  said  he,  severely,  "  that  if  you  go  on 
in  this  way  your  liberty  will  be  greatly  compromised. 
Each  of  your  responses  is  a  breach  of  propriety." 

The  most  sincere  distress,  mingled  with  anxiety,  was 
visible  upon  the  countenance  of  the  murderer. 

"  Ah !  I  meant  no  offence,  sir,"  he  sighed.  "  You 
questioned  me  and  I  replied.  You  will  see  that  I  have 
spoken  the  truth,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  tell  you  the 
history  of  the  whole  affair." 


CHAPTER  XIX 

"  When  the  prisoner  speaks,  the  prosecution  is  in- 
structed," is  an  old  proverb  at  the  Palais  de  Justice. 

It  does,  indeed,  seem  almost  impossible  for  a  culprit, 
closely  watched  by  the  judge,  to  speak  more  than  a  few 
words  without  betraying  his  intentions  or  his  thoughts ; 
without,  in  short,  revealing  more  or  less  of  the  secret  he 
is  endeavoring  to  conceal. 

Even  the  most  simple-minded  of  criminals  under- 
stand this,  and  those  who  are  most  shrewd,  are  gen- 
erally most  reserved. 

Confining  themselves  entirely  to  the  few  facts  upon 
which  they  have  founded  their  defence,  they  leave  this 
safe  ground  only  when  they  are  absolutely  compelled  to 
do  so,  and  then  only  with  the  utmost  caution. 


156  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

When  questioned,  they  reply  of  course,  but  always 
briefly ;  and  they  are  very  sparing  of  details. 

In  this  case,  however,  the  accused  was  prodigal  of 
words.  He  did  not  seem  to  apprehend  that  there  was 
danger  lest  he  should  cut  his  own  throat.  He  did  not 
hesitate  like  those  who  are  fearful  of  misplacing  a  word 
of  the  romance  they  are  substituting  for  the  truth. 

Under  other  circumstances  this  fact  would  have  been 
a  strong  argument  in  his  favor. 

"  You  may  tell  your  own  story,  then,"  was  M.  Seg- 
muller's  response  to  the  indirect  request  of  the  prisoner. 

The  murderer  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  the  joy 
which  had  been  awakened  in  his  heart  by  being  allowed 
to  plead  his  own  cause,  in  his  own  way. 

The  sparkling  of  his  eyes,  the  dilation  of  his  nostrils 
revealed  his  satisfaction. 

He  seated  himself,  threw  his  head  back,  passed  his 
tongue  over  his  lips  as  if  to  moisten  them,  and  said : 

"  Am  I  to  understand  that  you  wish  to  hear  my  his- 
tory?" 

"  Yes." 

"  Then  you  must  know  that  one  day  about  forty-five 
years  ago,  Father  Tringlot,  the  manager  of  a  travelling 
company  of  athletes  and  acrobats,  was  going  from  Guin- 
gamp  to  Sainte-Briene.  He  was  making  the  journey  in 
two  large  carriages  with  his  wife,  his  equipments,  and 
the  members  of  his  company.  Very  well.  But  soon 
after  leaving  quite  a  large  city  named  Chatelaudren,  he 
perceived  something  white  lying  by  the  roadside,  near 
the  edge  of  a  ditch.  '  I  must  go  and  see  what  that  is/ 
he  said  to  his  wife.  He  stopped  the  horses,  descended 
from  the  carriage,  went  to  the  ditch,  picked  up  the 
object  and  uttered  a  cry  of  surprise.  You  will  ask  me 
'  what  this  man  has  found  ?  '  Ah !  mon  Dieu!  A  mere 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  157 

trifle.  He  had  found  your  very  humble  servant;  then 
aged  about  six  months." 

With  these  last  words,  he  made  a  low  bow  to  his 
auditors. 

"  Naturally,  Father  Tringlot  carried  me  to  his  wife," 
he  continued.  "  She  was  a  kind-hearted  woman.  She 
took  me,  examined  me,  fed  me,  and  said :  '  He  is  a 
strong,  healthy  child ;  we  will  keep  him,  since  his  mother 
has  been  so  wicked  as  to  abandon  him.  I  will  teach  him ; 
and  in  five  or  six  years  he  will  be  an  honor  to  us.'  Then 
they  tried  to  decide  upon  a  name  for  me.  It  was  in 
the  early  part  of  the  month  of  May,  so  they  concluded  to 
call  me  May;  and  May  I  have  been  from  that  day  to 
this." 

He  paused,  and  looked  from  one  to  another  of  his 
listeners,  as  if  seeking  some  sign  of  approval. 

None  being  forthcoming,  he  went  on  with  his  story : 

"  Father  Tringlot  was  an  -uneducated  man,  and  en- 
tirely ignorant  of  the  law.  He  did  not  inform  the  au- 
thorities that  he  had  found  a  child,  and  for  this  reason, 
although  I  was  living,  I  did  not  exist,  for  to  exist  it  is 
necessary  to  have  one's  name  and  birth  inscribed  upon 
the  mayor's  register. 

"  When  I  became  older,  I  rather  congratulated  myself 
on  this  omission  on  Father  Tringlot's  part. 

"  I  said  to  myself :  '  May,  my  boy,  you  have  no  place 
on  any  government  register,  consequently  there  is  no 
fear  that  you  will  ever  be  drawn  as  a  soldier.' 

"  I  had  no  desire  to  be  a  soldier ;  no  fancy  for  being 
made  food  for  bullets  and  cannon-balls. 

"  Afterward,  when  the  age  for  conscription  had 
passed,  a  lawyer  told  me  that  I  would  make  a  great  deal 
of  trouble  for  myself  if  I  sought  a  place  on  the  civil  reg- 
ister at  that  late  day;  so  I  decided  to  exist  surrepti- 
tiously. 


IS*  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  And  this  is  why  I  have  no  Christian  name,  and  why 
I  cannot  say  exactly  where  I  was  born." 

If  truth  has  any  particular  accent  of  its  own,  as  moral- 
ists have  asserted,  the  murderer  had  found  that  accent. 

Voice,  gesture,  glance,  expression,  all  were  in  accord ; 
not  a  word  of  his  long  story  had  rung  false. 

"  Now,"  said  M.  Segmuller,  coldly,  "  what  are  your 
means  of  subsistence  ?  " 

By  the  discomfited  mien  of  the  murderer  one  would 
have  supposed  that  he  had  expected  to  see  his  prison 
doors  fly  open  at  the  conclusion  of  his  last  remarks. 

"  I  have  a  profession,"  he  replied,  plaintively.  "  The 
one  taught  me  by  Mother  Tringlot.  I  subsist  by  its 
practice ;  and  I  have  lived  in  France  and  in  other  coun- 
tries." 

The  judge  thought  he  had  found  a  flaw  in  the 
armor. 

"  Do  you  say  you  have  lived  in  foreign  countries  ?  " 
he  inquired. 

"  Yes ;  during  the  seventeen  years  that  I  formed  a 
part  of  Monsieur  Simpson's  company,  I  travelled  most 
of  the  time  in  England  and  in  Germany." 

"  Then  you  are  a  gymnast  and  an  athlete.  How  is  it 
that  your  hands  are  so  white  and  so  soft  ?  " 

Far  from  being  embarrassed,  the  prisoner  lifted  his 
hands  and  examined  them  with  evident  complacency. 

"  It  is  true  that  they  are  pretty,"  said  he ;  "  that  is 
because  I  take  good  care  of  them  and  do  not  use  them." 

"  Do  they  pay  you,  then,  for  doing  nothing  ?  " 

"  Ah,  no,  indeed !  But,  sir,  my  duty  consists  in 
speaking  to  the  public,  in  turning  a  compliment,  and 
in  making  things  pass  off  pleasantly,  as  the  saying  is ; 
and,  without  boasting,  I  flatter  myself  that  I  have  a 
certain  knack " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  159 

M.  Segmuller  stroked  his  chin,  according  to  his  habit 
when  a  prisoner  committed  some  grave  blunder. 

"  In  that  case,"  said  he,  "  will  you  give  me  an  exhibi- 
tion of  your  talent  ?  " 

"  Ah,  ha,"  laughed  the  man,  evidently  supposing  this 
a  jest  on  the  part  of  the  magistrate.  "  Ah,  ha!  " 

"  Obey,  if  you  please,"  insisted  the  judge. 

The  murderer  made  no  objection.  His  mobile  face 
immediately  assumed  an  entirely  different  expression ;  a 
singular  mixture  of  impudence,  conceit,  and  irony 
played  upon  his  features. 

He  caught  up  a  ruler  that  was  lying  upon  the  desk, 
and  in  a  shrill  falsetto  voice,  and  with  many  flourishes, 
he  began : 

"  Silence,  music !  And  you,  big  drum,  hold  your 
peace!  This,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  is  the  hour,  the 
moment,  and  the  instant  for  the  grand  and  only  per- 
formance of  these  great  artists ;  unequalled  in  the  world 
in  their  feats  upon  the  trapeze  and  on  the  tight-rope,  and 
in  other  exercises  of  grace,  suppleness,  and  strength." 

"  That  is  sufficient,"  interrupted  the  judge.  "  You 
can  speak  thus  in  France ;  but  what  do  you  say  in  Ger- 
many ?  " 

"  Of  course,  I  use  the  language  of  that  country." 

"  Let  us  see !  "  commanded  M.  Segmuller,  whose 
mother-tongue  was  German. 

The  prisoner  dropped  his  mocking  manner,  assumed 
an  air  of  comical  importance,  and,  without  the  slight- 
est hesitation  he  said,  in  very  emphatic  tones : 

"  Mit  Bewilligung  der  hochloeblichen  Obrigkeit  wird 
heute  vor  hiesiger  ehrenwerthen  Burgerschaft  sum 
erstenmal  aufgcfuhrt — Genovesa,  oder  del "  * 

*  "  With  the  permission  of  the  local  authorities,  there  will  now  be 
presented  before  the  honorable  citizens,  for  the  first  time — G«nevieve, 
or  the " 


160  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Enough,"  said  the  judge,  harshly. 

He  rose  to  conceal  his  chagrin,  perhaps,  and  added : 

"  We  will  send  for  an  interpreter  who  can  tell  us 
whether  you  speak  English  as  fluently." 

On  hearing  these  words,  Lecoq  modestly  stepped  for- 
ward. 

"  I  speak  English,"  said  he. 

"  Very  well.    You  hear,  prisoner?  " 

But  the  man  was  already  transformed.  Britannic 
gravity  and  apathy  were  written  upon  his  features ;  his 
gestures  were  stiff  and  constrained,  and  it  was  in  the 
most  ponderous  tones  that  he  said : 

"  Ladies  and  gentlemen :  Long  life  to  our  queen,  and 
to  the  honorable  mayor  of  this  town !  No  country,  Eng- 
land excepted — our  glorious  England  ! — could  produce 
such  a  marvellous  thing,  such  a  paragon " 

For  a  minute  or  two  longer  he  continued  in  the  same 
strain. 

M.  Segmuller  was  leaning  upon  his  desk,  his  face 
bowed  upon  his  hands.  Lecoq  could  not  conceal  his  as-, 
tonishment. 

Only  Coquet,  the  smiling  clerk,  found  the  scene 
amusing. 


CHAPTER  XX 

The  keeper  of  the  depot,  a  functionary  who  had 
gained  the  reputation  of  being  an  oracle  by  twenty  years 
of  experience  in  prisons  and  with  prisoners — a  man 
whom  it  was  difficult  to  deceive — had  written  to  the 
judge : 

"  Surround  yourself  with  every  precaution  before  ex- 
amining the  prisoner,  May." 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  161 

And  instead  of  the  dangerous  malefactor,  the  very 
announcement  of  whose  coming  had  made  the  clerk 
turn  pale,  the  prisoner  proved  to  be  a  practical,  harm- 
less, and  jovial  philosopher,  vain  of  his  eloquence,  a  man 
whose  existence  depended  upon  his  ability  to  turn  a 
compliment ;  in  short,  a  somewhat  erratic  genius. 

This  was  a  strange  mistake.  But  this  did  not  cause 
M.  Segmuller  to  abandon  the  theory  advanced  by  Le- 
coq;  he  had  become  more  than  ever  convinced  of  its 
truth. 

If  he  remained  silent,  with  his  elbows  propped  upon 
his  desk,  and  his  hands  clasped  over  his  eyes,  it  was  only 
that  he  might  gain  time  for  reflection. 

The  manner  and  attitude  of  the  prisoner  was  re- 
markable. 

When  his  English  "  compliment "  was  ended,  he  re- 
mained standing  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  his  counte- 
nance wearing  an  expression  half  pleased,  half  anxious. 
But  he  was  as  much  at  ease  as  if  he  were  upon  the  stage 
where,  if  one  could  believe  his  story,  he  had  passed  the 
greater  part  of  his  life. 

By  the  combined  efforts  of  all  his  intellectual  powers 
and  his  penetration,  the  judge  attempted  to  seize  upon 
something,  even  if  it  were  only  some  indication  of  weak- 
ness on  his  face,  which  in  its  mobility  was  more  enigmat- 
ical than  the  bronze  face  of  the  sphinx. 

Thus  far  M.  Segmuller  had  been  worsted  in  the  en- 
counter. 

It  is  true,  however,  that  he  had  made  no  direct  attack, 
nor  had  he  made  use  of  any  of  the  weapons  which  Lecoq 
had  forged  for  his  use. 

But  he  was  none  the  less  annoyed  at  his  defeat.  It 
was  easy  to  discern  this  by  the  brusque  manner  in 


i6a  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

which  he  lifted  his  head  after  a  few  moments  of  si- 
lence. 

"  I  see  that  you  speak  three  European  languages  cor- 
rectly," said  he.  "  It  is  a  rare  talent." 

The  prisoner  bowed,  and  smiled  complacently. 

"  But  that  does  not  establish  your  identity,"  con- 
tinued the  judge.  "  Have  you  any  acquaintances  in 
Paris?  Can  you  indicate  any  respectable  person  who 
will  vouch  for  the  truth  of  this  story  ?  " 

"  Ah !  Monsieur,  it  is  seventeen  years  since  I  left 
France." 

"  It  is  unfortunate,  but  the  prosecution  would  not  be 
content  with  such  reasons.  It  would  be  too  easy  to 
escape  the  consequences  of  one's  former  life.  Tell  me 
of  your  last  patron,  Monsieur  Simpson.  Who  was  this 
man?" 

"  Monsieur  Simpson  is  a  rich  man,"  replied  the  pris- 
oner, rather  coldly,  "  worth  more  than  two  hundred 
thousand  francs,  and  honest.  In  Germany  he  travelled 
with  a  show  of  marionettes,  in  England  with  a  collection 
of  phenomena,  to  suit  the  taste  of  the  country." 

"  Very  well !  This  millionnaire  could  testify  in  your 
favor ;  it  would  be  easy  to  find  him,  I  suppose." 

"  Certainly,"  May  responded,  emphatically.  "  Mon- 
sieur Simpson  would  willingly  do  me  this  favor.  It 
would  be  easy  enough  to  find  him,  only  it  would  require 
considerable  time." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  at  the  present  moment  he  is — he  must  be 
en  route  to  America.  It  was  on  account  of  this  journey 
that  I  left  his  company — I  detest  the  ocean." 

The  intense  anxiety  that  had  stopped  the  beatings  of 
Lecoq's  heart  was  dissipated.    He  breathed  again. 
1  "  Ah! "  said  the  judge,  very  slowly. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  163 

"  When  I  say  that  he  is  en  route,"  resumed  the  pris- 
oner, "  I  may  be  mistaken.  He  may  not  have  started 
yet.  But  he  had  arranged  all  his  business  matters  for 
departure  before  we  separated." 

"  Upon  what  ship  was  he  to  sail  ?  " 

"  He  did  not  tell  me." 

"  Where  was  he  when  you  left  him  ?  " 

"  At  Leipsic." 

"When  was  this?" 

"  Last  Wednesday." 

M.  Segmuller  shrugged  his  shoulders  disdainfully. 

"  Do  you  say  you  were  in  Leipsic  on  Wednesday  ? 
How  long  have  you  been  in  Paris  ?  " 

"  Since  Sunday  afternoon,  at  four  o'clock." 

"  It  will  be  necessary  to  prove  that." 

By  the  contracted  brow  of  the  murderer,  one  would 
naturally  have  supposed  that  he  was  making  a  strenuous 
effort  to  remember  something.  For  about  a  minute  he 
seemed  to  be  seeking  something.  He  cast  questioning 
glances  first  at  the  ceiling,  then  at  the  floor,  scratching 
his  head  and  tapping  his  foot  in  evident  perplexity. 

"  How  can  I  prove  it — how  ?  "  he  murmured. 

The  judge  did  not  appear  disposed  to  wait. 

"  I  will  make  a  suggestion  to  aid  you,"  said  he.  "  The 
people  at  the  inn  where  you  boarded  while  in  Leipsic 
must  remember  you." 

"  We  did  not  stop  at  an  inn." 

"  Where  did  you  eat  and  sleep,  then  ?  " 

"  In  Monsieur  Simpson's  large  travelling-carriage ;  il 
had  been  sold,  but  he  was  not  to  give  it  up  until  he 
reached  the  port  from  which  he  was  to  embark." 

"  What  port  was  that  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know." 

Less  accustomed  to  concealing  his  impressions  than 


164  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

the  judge,  Lecoq  could  not  help  rubbing  his  hands,  so 
great  was  his  satisfaction.  He  saw  that  the  prisoner 
was  convicted  of  falsehood — "  driven  to  the  wall,"  as  he 
expressed  it. 

"  So  you  have  only  your  own  affirmation  to  offer  in 
support  of  this  story?  "  inquired  the  judge. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  the  accused,  extending  his 
arm  as  if  to  clutch  a  still  vague  inspiration,  "  wait  a 
moment.  When  I  arrived  in  Paris  I  had  a  trunk;  it 
contains  my  linen,  which  is  all  marked  with  the  first  let- 
ter of  my  name.  There  are  also  some  coats,  several 
pairs  of  pantaloons,  and  two  costumes  for  wear  when  I 
appear  in  public." 
"  Go  on." 

"  On  my  arrival  in  Paris  I  took  this  trunk  to  a  hotel 
quite  near  the  railway  station." 

He  stopped  short,  evidently  embarrassed. 
"  What  is  the  name  of  this  hotel  ?  "  demanded  the 
judge. 

"  Alas !  that  is  exactly  what  I  am  trying  to  recollect. 
I  have  forgotten  it.  But  I  have  not  forgotten  the  house. 
I  can  see  it  yet ;  and,  if  someone  would  take  me  to  the 
neighborhood,  I  should  certainly  recognize  it.  The  peo- 
ple at  the  hotel  would  know  me;  besides,  my  trunk 
would  prove  the  truth  of  my  story." 

Lecoq  mentally  resolved  to  make  a  tour  of  investiga- 
tion through  the  hotels  which  surrounded  the  North- 
ern depot. 

"  Very  well,"  remarked  the  judge.  "  Perhaps  we  will 
do  as  you  request.  Now,  there  are  two  questions  which 
I  desire  to  ask.  If  you  arrived  in  Paris  at  four  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  how  did  it  happen  that  by  midnight  of 
the  same  day  you  had  found  the  Poivriere,  a  haunt  of 
notorious  characters,  situated  in  a  lonely  spot,  and 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  165 

which  it  would  be  impossible  to  find  at  night  if  one  was 
not  familiar  with  the  locality  ?  In  the  second  place,  how 
does  it  happen,  if  you  possess  such  clothing  as  you  de- 
scribe, that  you  are  so  poorly  dressed  ?  " 

The  man  smiled  at  these  questions. 

"  That  is  what  I  will  explain  to  you,"  he  responded. 
"  When  one  travels  third-class,  one  is  sure  to  ruin 
one's  clothing ;  that  is  why,  on  leaving  Leipsic,  I  put  on 
the  worst  clothing  I  had.  When  I  arrived  here,  and 
felt  the  pavements  of  Paris  beneath  my  feet,  I  went  wild 
with  delight.  I  became  a  fool.  I  had  some  money  in  my 
pocket — it  was  Shrove  Sunday — my  only  thought  was 
to  make  a  night  of  it.  I  did  not  think  of  changing  my 
clothes.  Having  formerly  found  much  amusement  near 
the  Barriere  d'ltalie,  I  hastened  there,  and  entered  a 
wine-shop.  While  I  was  eating  a  morsel,  two  men  came 
in  and  began  talking  about  spending  the  night  at  a  ball 
at  the  Rainbow.  I  asked  them  to  take  me  with  them ; 
they  consented.  I  paid  their  bill,  and  we  started.  But 
soon  after  our  arrival  there  these  young  men  left  me  and 
joined  the  dancers.  It  was  not  long  before  I  began  to 
weary  of  playing  the  part  of  looker-on.  Vexed  and  dis- 
appointed, I  left  the  inn,  and  being  foolish  enough  to 
dislike  to  ask  my  way,  I  wandered  on  and  lost  my  way 
while  traversing  a  large  tract  of  unoccupied  land.  I  was 
about  to  retrace  my  steps,  when  I  saw  a  light  in  the 
distance.  I  walked  straight  toward  it,  and  arrived  at 
that  cursed  hovel." 

"  What  happened  then  ?  " 

"  Oh !  I  went  in ;  called  for  someone.  A  woman 
came.  I  asked  for  a  glass  of  brandy ;  she  brought  it.  I 
sat  down  and  lighted  a  cigar.  Then  I  looked  about 
me.  The  interior  was  horrible  enough  to  frighten  one. 
Three  men  and  two  women  were  drinking  and  chatting 


166  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

in  low  tones  at  another  table.  My  face  did  not  seem  to 
suit  them.  One  of  them  rose,  came  to  me  and  said: 
'  You  are  a  policeman ;  you  have  come  here  to  play  the 
spy  on  us ;  that  is  very  plain.'  I  answered  that  I  was 
not.  He  replied  that  I  was.  I  again  declared  that  I  was 
not.  In  short,  he  swore  that  he  was  sure  of  it,  and 
that  I  had  on  a  false  beard.  Thereupon  he  caught  hold 
of  my  beard  and  pulled  it.  This  made  me  mad.  I 
jumped  up,  and  with  a  blow  of  my  fist  felled  him  to  the 
ground.  Misery!  In  an  instant  all  the  others  were 
upon  me !  I  had  my  revolver — you  know  the  rest." 

"  And  the  two  women,  while  this  was  going  on,  what 
were  they  doing  ?  " 

"  Ah !  I  was  too  busy  to  pay  any  attention  to  them. 
They  disappeared !  " 

"  But  you  saw  them  when  you  entered  the  saloon — 
what  were  they  like  ?  " 

"  They  were,  upon  my  word !  two  big,  ugly  creatures, 
as  tall  as  grenadiers,  and  as  dark  as  moles !  " 

Between  plausible  falsehood  and  improbable  truth, 
justice,  human  justice,  and  therefore  liable  to  error,  is 
compelled  to  decide  as  best  it  can. 

For  the  past  hour  M.  Segmuller  had  not  been  free 
from  mental  disquietude.  But  his  doubts  all  vanished 
when  he  heard  the  prisoner  declare  that  the  two  women 
were  tall  and  dark. 

In  his  opinion  this  audacious  falsehood  proved  that 
there  was  a  perfect  understanding  between  the  murderer 
and  the  Widow  Chupin. 

If  the  man  had  said :  "  The  women  were  fair,"  M. 
Segmuller  would  not  have  known  what  to  believe. 

Certainly,  his  satisfaction  was  great ;  but  his  face  did 
not  betray  it.  It  was  of  the  utmost  importance  that  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  167 

prisoner  should  believe  that  he  had  succeeded  in  de- 
ceiving  the  judge. 

"  You  must  understand  how  necessary  it  is  to  find 
these  women,"  said  the  judge  kindly.  "  If  their  testi- 
mony corresponds  with  your  allegations,  your  innocence 
will  be  proved  conclusively." 

"  Yes,  I  understand  that ;  but  how  can  I  put  my 
hand  upon  them  ?  " 

"  The  police  can  aid  you — these  agents  are  always  at 
the  service  of  prisoners  who  desire  to  make  use  of  them 
in  establishing  their  innocence.  Did  you  make  any  ob- 
servations which  might  aid  in  the  discovery  of  these 
women  ?  " 

Lecoq,  whose  eyes  never  wandered  from  the  prison- 
er's face,  fancied  that  he  saw  the  least  shadow  of  a  smile 
on  the  man's  lips. 

"  I  remarked  nothing,"  he  said,  coldly. 

M.  Segmuller  had  opened  the  drawer  of  his  desk  a 
moment  before.  He  now  took  from  it  the  ear-ring 
which  had  been  found  at  the  scene  of  the  tragedy,  and, 
handing  it  abruptly  to  the  prisoner,  he  asked : 

"  So  you  did  not  notice  this  in  the  ear  of  one  of  the 
women  ?  " 

The  imperturbable  coolness  of  the  accused  did  not 
forsake  him. 

He  took  the  ornament,  examined  it  attentively,  held 
it  up  to  the  light,  admired  its  brilliant  fires,  and  said : 

"  It  is  a  very  handsome  stone ;  but  I  did  not  notice 
it." 

"  This  stone,"  remarked  the  judge,  "  is  a  diamond." 

"Ah!" 

"  Yes ;  and  worth  several  thousand  francs." 

"  So  much  as  that !  " 

This  exclamation  was  in  accord  with  the  spirit  of  his 


i68 

role;  but  the  prisoner  had  failed  to  assume  a  suitable 
show  of  simplicity,  or  rather,  he  had  exaggerated  it. 

A  nomad  like  himself,  who  had,  as  he  claimed,  visited 
all  the  capitals  of  Europe,  would  not  have  been  so  as- 
tonished on  hearing  the  value  of  a  diamond. 

Still,  M.  Segmuller  did  not  seem  to  notice  the  dis- 
crepancy. 

"  Another  thing,"  said  he.  "  When  you  threw  down 
your  pistol,  crying :  '  Come  and  take  me,'  what  did  you 
intend  to  do?" 

"  I  intended  to  make  my  escape." 

"In  what  way?" 

"Dame!  by  the  door,  sir — by " 

"  Yes,  by  the  back  door,"  said  the  judge,  with  freez- 
ing irony.  "  It  remains  for  you  to  explain  how  you — 
you  who  had  just  entered  that  hovel  for  the  first  time- 
could  have  known  of  this  door." 

For  the  first  time  the  eye  of  the  prisoner  grew 
troubled ;  his  assurance  disappeared.  But  it  was  only 
for  an  instant ;  then  he  laughed,  but  it  was  a  false  laugh, 
that  poorly  concealed  his  anxiety. 

"  What  nonsense !  "  he  responded.  "  I  had  just  seen 
the  two  women  go  out  by  that  door." 

"  Pardon  me,  you  have  just  declared  that  you  did  not 
see  the  departure  of  these  women;  that  you  were  too 
busy  to  watch  their  movements." 

"Did  I  say  that?" 

"  Word  for  word ;  the  passage  shall  be  read  to  you. 
Coquet,  read." 

The  clerk  read  the  passage  referred  to,  but  the  man 
undertook  to  show  that  they  had  misunderstood  his  re- 
mark. "  He  had  not  said — at  least,  he  did  not  intend  to 
say — they  had  quite  misunderstood  him " 

Lecoq  was  jubilant. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  169 

"  Ah !  my  good  fellow,"  he  thought,  "  you  contradict 
yourself — you  are  in  deep  water — you  are  lost." 

This  reflection  was  the  more  just  as  the  situation  of 
the  prisoner  was  like  that  of  a  man  who,  without  know- 
ing how  to  swim,  had  advanced  into  the  sea  until  the 
water  was  above  his  chin.  Thus  far  he  had  preserved 
his  equilibrium  very  well ;  but  now  he  totters — soon  he 
loses  his  footing — he  sinks ! 

"  Enough — enough !  "  said  the  judge.  "  Now,  if  you 
started  out  merely  with  the  intention  of  amusing  your- 
self, how  did  it  happen  that  you  took  your  pistol  with 
you?" 

"  I  had  it  with  me  while  I  was  travelling,  and  I  did 
not  think  to  leave  it  at  the  hotel  any  more  than  I  thought 
to  change  my  clothes." 

"  Where  did  you  purchase  it  ?. " 

"  It  was  given  me  by  Monsieur  Simpson  as  a 
souvenir." 

"  Confess  that  this  Monsieur  Simpson  is  a  very  con- 
venient personage,"  said  the  judge  coldly.  "  Still,  go  on 
with  your  story.  Two  chambers  only  of  this  murderous 
weapon  have  been  discharged,  and  three  men  were 
killed.  You  have  not  told  me  the  end  of  the  affair." 

"  Alas !  "  exclaimed  the  man,  in  saddened  tones, 
"  what  is  the  use  ?  Two  of  my  assailants  had  fallen ;  the 
struggle  now  was  an  equal  one.  I  seized  the  remaining 
man,  the  soldier,  about  the  body,  and  threw  him  down. 
He  fell  against  a  corner  of  the  table,  and  did  not  rise 
again." 

M.  Segmuller  had  unfolded  upon  his  desk  the  plan  of 
the  saloon  drawn  by  Lecoq. 

"  Come  here,"  he  said,  addressing  the  prisoner,  "  and 
indicate  upon  the  paper  the  precise  spot  occupied  by  you 
and  by  your  adversaries." 


170  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

May  obeyed,  and  with  an  assurance  of  manner  a  little 
surprising  in  a  man  in  his  apparent  position,  he  ex- 
plained the  drama. 

"  I  entered,"  said  he,  "  by  this  door,  marked  C ;  I 
seated  myself  at  the  table,  H,  which  is  to  the  left  of  the 
entrance;  the  others  occupied  this  table,  which  is  be- 
tween the  fireplace,  F,  and  the  window,  B." 

When  he  had  finished : 

"  I  must  admit,"  said  the  judge,  "  that  your  asser- 
tions are  in  perfect  accord  with  the  statements  of  the 
physicians,  who  say  that  one  of  the  shots  must  have 
been  fired  at  a  distance  of  about  a  yard,  and  the  other, 
at  a  distance  of  about  two  yards." 

The  accused  had  triumphed;  but  he  only  shrugged 
his  shoulders  and  murmured : 

"  That  proved  that  the  physicians  knew  their  busi- 
ness." 

Lecoq  was  delighted ;  he  felt  that,  had  he  been  a  judge, 
he  would  have  conducted  this  examination  in  precisely 
the  same  way. 

He  blessed  Heaven  that  had  given  him  M.  Segmuller, 
in  place  of  M.  d'Escorval. 

"  This  admitted,"  resumed  the  judge,  "  there  remains 
to  be  explained  a  sentence  uttered  by  you  when  this 
agent,  whom  you  see  here,  arrested  you." 

"What  sentence?" 

"  You  said :  '  It  is  the  Prussians  who  are  coming ;  I 
am  lost ! '  What  did  you  mean  by  that  ?  " 

A  fleeting  crimson  tinged  the  cheek  of  the  prisoner. 
It  was  evident  that  he  had  anticipated  the  other  ques- 
tions, and  that  he  had  been  prepared  for  them ;  but  that 
this  one  was  unexpected. 

"  It  is  very  strange,"  said  he,  with  ill-disguised  em- 
barrassment, "that  I  should  have  said  such  a  thing!  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  17* 

"  Five  persons  heard  you,"  insisted  the  judge. 

Evidently  he  was  endeavoring  to  gain  time ;  he  was 
hunting  for  an  explanation. 

"  After  all,"  replied  the  man,  "  the  thing  is  very  pos- 
sible. It  was  a  phrase  that  was  often  repeated  by  an 
old  soldier  of  Napoleon's  body-guard,  who,  after  the 
battle  of  Waterloo,  entered  the  service  of  Monsieur 
Simpson." 

This  explanation,  though  rather  slow  in  coming,  was 
none  the  less  ingenious.  At  last  M.  Segmuller  appeared 
to  be  perfectly  satisfied. 

"  That  is  very  plausible,"  said  he ;  "  but  there  is  one 
circumstance  that  passes  my  comprehension.  Were  you 
freed  from  your  assailants  before  the  entrance  of  the 
policemen?  Answer  me,  yes  or  no." 

"  Yes." 

"  Then,  why,  instead  of  making  your  escape  by  the 
door,  whose  existence  you  had  divined,  did  you  remain 
upon  the  threshold  of  the  communicating  door,  with  a 
table  before  you  to  serve  as  a  barricade,  your  pistol  di- 
rected toward  the  police,  holding  them  at  bay  ?  " 

The  man  hung  his  head,  and  they  were  obliged  to 
wait  for  his  response. 

"  I  was  a  fool,"  he  stammered,  at  last.  "  I  did  not 
know  whether  these  men  were  agents  of  the  police  force 
or  friends  of  the  men  I  had  killed." 

"  Your  self-interest  would  have  impelled  you  to  flee 
from  one  as  well  as  from  the  other." 

The  murderer  was  silent. 

"  Ah,  well !  "  resumed  M.  Segmuller,  "  the  prosecu- 
tion is  of  the  opinion  that  you  designedly  and  volun- 
tarily exposed  yourself  to  the  danger  of  arrest  in  order 
to  protect  the  retreat  of  the  two  women  who  were  in 
the  saloon." 


i?2  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  Why  should  I  have  risked  my  own  safety  for  two 
hussies  whom  I  did  not  even  know  ?  " 

"  Pardon  me.  The  prosecution  are  strongly  inclined 
to  believe  that  you  know  these  two  women  very  well." 

"  I  should  like  to  see  anyone  prove  this ! " 

He  laughed  sneeringly,  but  the  laugh  was  frozen  upon 
his  lips  by  the  tone  of  assurance  in  which  the  judge  ut- 
tered these  words : 

"  I  will  prove  this  to  you !  " 


CHAPTER  XXI 

These  difficult  and  delicate  questions  of  personal 
identity  are  the  bane  of  magistrates. 

Railroads,  photography,  and  telegraphic  communi- 
cation have  multiplied  the  means  of  investigation  in 
vain.  Every  day  it  happens  that  malefactors  succeed 
in  deceiving  the  judge  in  regard  to  their  true  person- 
ality, and  thus  escape  the  consequences  of  their  former 
crimes. 

This  is  so  frequently  the  case  that  a  witty  attorney- 
general  once  laughingly  remarked — and,  perhaps,  he 
was  only  half  in  jest : 

"  This  uncertainty  in  regard  to  identity  will  cease 
only  on  the  day  when  the  law  prescribes  that  a  num- 
ber shall  be  branded  upon  the  shoulder  of  every  child 
whose  birth  is  reported  to  the  mayor." 

M.  Segmuller  certainly  wished  that  a  number  had 
been  branded  upon  the  enigmatical  prisoner  before  him. 

And  yet  he  did  not  by  any  means  despair,  and  his 
confidence,  exaggerated  though  it  might  be,  was  not 
feigned. 

He  thought  this  circumstance  in  connection  with  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  173 

two  women  was  the  weak  spot  in  the  prisoner's  plan  of 
defence — the  point  upon  which  he  must  concentrate  all 
his  efforts. 

When  he  felt  that  his  threat  had  had  time  to  produce 
its  full  effect,  he  continued : 

"  So,  prisoner,  you  assert  that  you  were  acquainted 
with  none  of  the  persons  you  met  in  the  saloon  ?  " 

"  I  swear  it." 

"  Have  you  never  had  occasion  to  meet  one  Lache- 
neur,  an  individual  whose  name  is  connected  with  this 
unfortunate  affair  ?  " 

"  I  heard  this  name  for  the  first  time  when  the  dying 
soldier  uttered  it,  adding  that  this  Lacheneur  was  an 
old  comedian." 

He  heaved  a  deep  sigh,  and  continued : 

"  Poor  soldier !  I  had  just  dealt  him  his  death- 
blow ;  and  yet  his  last  words  testified  to  my  innocence." 

This  sentimental  outburst  produced  no  impression 
whatever  upon  the  magistrate. 

"  Consequently,"  resumed  the  judge,  "  you  are  will- 
ing to  accept  the  deposition  of  this  soldier?  " 

The  man  hesitated,  as  if  conscious  that  he  had  fallen 
into  a  snare,  and  that  he  would  be  obliged  to  weigh  each 
response  carefully. 

i      "  I  accept  it,"  said  he,  at  last.    "  Of  course,  I  accept 
it." 

"  Very  well.  This  soldier,  you  must  recollect,  wished 
to  revenge  himself  upon  Lacheneur,  who,  by  promising 
him  money,  had  inveigled  him  into  a  conspiracy.  A  con- 
spiracy against  whom  ?  Evidently  against  you ;  and  yet 
you  pretend  that  you  had  only  arrived  in  Paris  that 
evening,  and  that  the  merest  chance  had  alone  brought 
you  to  the  Poivriere.  Can  you  reconcile  such  conflict- 
ing statements  ?  " 


174  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  prisoner  had  the  hardihood  to  shrug  his  shoul- 
ders, disdainfully. 

"  I  see  the  matter  in  an  entirely  different  light,"  said 
he.  "  These  people  were  plotting  mischief  against — I 
do  not  know  whom — and  it  was  because  I  was  in  their 
way  that  they  sought  a  quarrel  with  me,  without  any 
cause  whatever." 

The  judge's  sword-thrust  had  been  skilfully  made, 
but  it  had  been  as  skilfully  parried ;  so  skilfully,  indeed, 
that  the  smiling  clerk  could  not  conceal  an  approving 
grimace.  Besides,  on  principle,  he  always  took  the 
part  of  the  prisoner — in  a  very  mild  way,  understand. 

"  Let  us  consider  the  circumstances  that  followed 
your  arrest,"  resumed  M.  Segmuller.  "  Why  did  you 
refuse  to  answer  all  questions  ?  " 

A  gleam  of  real  or  assumed  resentment  shone  in  the 
eyes  of  the  prisoner. 

"  This  examination,"  he  growled,  "  will  be  quite  suf- 
ficient to  make  a  culprit  out  of  an  innocent  man !  " 

"  I  advise  you,  in  your  own  interest,  to  deport  your- 
self properly.  Those  who  arrested  you  observed  that 
you  were  conversant  with  all  the  formalities,  and  with 
the  rules  of  the  prison." 

"  Ah !  sir,  have  I  not  told  you  that  I  have  been  ar- 
rested and  put  in  prison  several  times — always  on  ac- 
count of  my  papers.  I  told  you  the  truth,  and  conse- 
quently you  should  not  taunt  me." 

He  had  dropped  his  mask  of  careless  gayety,  and 
had  assumed  a  surly,  discontented  tone. 

But  his  troubles  were  not  ended,  the  battle  had  but 
just  begun.  M.  Segmuller  laid  a  tiny  linen  bag  upon 
his  desk. 

"  Do  you  recognize  this  ?  "  he  asked. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  175 

"  Perfectly  i  It  is  the  package  that  was  placed  in  the 
safe  by  the  keeper  of  the  prison." 

The  judge  opened  the  bag,  and  poured  the  dust  that 
it  contained  out  upon  a  sheet  of  paper. 

"  You  are  aware,  prisoner,"  said  he,  "  that  this  dust 
is  from  the  mud  that  adhered  to  your  feet.  The  agent 
of  police  who  collected  it  went  to  the  station-house 
where  you  had  spent  the  preceding  night,  and  he  has 
discovered  between  this  dust  and  the  earth  which  forms 
the  floor  of  the  station-house  a  perfect  uniformity." 

The  man  listened  with  wide-open  mouth. 

"  Hence,"  continued  the  judge,  "  it  was  certainly  at 
the  station-house,  and  designedly,  that  you  soiled  your 
feet  in  the  mud.  What  was  your  object?  " 

"  I  wished " 

"  Let  me  finish.  Resolved  to  guard  the  secret  of  your 
identity,  and  to  assume  the  individuality  of  a  man  of  the 
lower  orders  of  society — of  a  mountebank,  if  you 
please — you  reflected  that  the  delicacy  of  your  appear- 
ance would  betray  you.  You  foresaw  the  impression 
that  would  be  produced  when,  upon  removing  the 
coarse,  ill-fitting  boots  that  you  wore,  the  officers  saw 
shapely,  nicely  cared  for  feet  like  yours ;  for  they  are  as 
well  kept  as  your  hands.  What  did  you  do,  therefore  ? 
You  emptied  upon  the  ground  the  water  that  was  in  the 
pitcher  in  your  cell,  and  then  dabbled  your  feet  in  the 
mud  that  had  been  formed." 

During  these  remarks  the  face  of  the  prisoner  had 
expressed,  by  turns,  anxiety,  the  most  comical  astonish- 
ment, irony,  and  at  last  a  frank  gayety. 

At  the  conclusion,  he  seemed  unable  to  restrain  the 
burst  of  merriment  which  prevented  him  from  making 
any  reply. 

"  This   is  what  one   gets  by  searching  around   for 


176  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

twelve  or  fourteen  hours,"  he  said,  as  soon  as  he  could 
speak,  and  addressing  not  the  judge,  but  Lecoq.  "  Ah ! 
Mister  Agent,  it  is  well  to  be  sharp,  but  not  so  sharp  as 
that.  The  truth  is,  that  when  I  was  taken  to  the 
station-house,  forty-eight  hours — thirty-six  of  them 
spent  on  the  railroad  cars — had  elapsed  since  I  had 
taken  off  my  shoes.  My  feet  were  red,  swollen,  and 
burned  like  fire.  What  did  I  do  ?  I  poured  some  water 
on  them.  As  for  your  other  suspicions,  if  I  have  a  soft 
and  white  skin,  it  is  only  because  I  take  care  of  myself. 
Besides,  as  is  usual  with  most  men  in  my  profession,  I 
never  wear  anything  but  slippers  on  my  feet.  This  is  so 
true,  that  on  leaving  Leipsic,  I  owned  only  one  pair  of 
boots,  and  that  was  an  old  cast-off  pair  given  me  by 
Monsieur  Simpson." 

Lecoq  struck  himself  upon  the  breast.  "  Fool,  im- 
becile, idiot,  that  I  am !  "  he  thought.  "  He  was  wait- 
ing to  be  questioned  in  regard  to  this  circumstance. 
When  this  man,  who  is  wonderfully  shrewd,  saw  me 
take  this  dust,  he  divined  my  intentions;  he  has  been 
seeking  for  an  explanation,  and  he  has  found  it — and 
it  is  a  plausible  one — any  jury  would  believe  it." 

M.  Segmuller  was  saying  the  same  thing  to  himself. 
But  he  was  not  so  surprised  nor  so  overcome  by  the 
cleverness  of  the  prisoner. 

"  Let  us  continue,"  said  he.  "  Do  you  still  persist  in 
your  affirmations,  prisoner  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  Very  well ;  then  I  shall  be  forced  to  tell  you  that 
you  are  saying  what  is  untrue." 

The  prisoner's  lips  trembled  very  visibly,  and  he 
faltered : 

"  May  my  first  mouthful  of  bread  strangle  me,  if  I 
have  uttered  a  single  falsehood !  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  177 

"  A  single  falsehood ! — wait." 

The  judge  took  from  his  desk-drawer  the  moulds  of 
the  footprints,  which  Lecoq  had  made,  and  showing 
them  to  the  murderer,  he  said : 

"  You  have  told  me  that  these  women  were  as  tall 
as  grenadiers;  now  see  the  footprints  made  by  these 
immense  women.  They  were  as  '  dark  as  moles,'  you 
said ;  a  witness  will  tell  you  that  one  of  them  was  a 
small,  very  delicate  blonde,  with  an  -exceedingly  sweet 
voice." 

He  sought  the  prisoner's  eyes,  found  them,  and  added 
slowly : 

"  And  this  witness  is  the  coachman  whose  carriage 
was  hired  in  the  Rue  de  Chevaleret  by  the  two  fugi- 
tives." 

This  sentence  fell  upon  the  prisoner  like  a  thunder- 
bolt ;  he  grew  pale,  tottered  and  leaned  against  the  wall 
to  keep  himself  from  falling. 

"  Ah !  you  have  told  me  the  truth !  "  scornfully  con- 
tinued the  pitiless  judge.  "  Who,  then,  is  this  man  who 
was  waiting  for  you  while  you  were  in  the  Poivriere? 
Who  is  this  accomplice  who,  after  your  arrest,  dared  to 
enter  the  Widow  Chupin's  hut  to  regain  something  com- 
promising in  its  nature — a  letter,  undoubtedly — which 
he  knew  he  would  find  in  the  pocket  of  the  Widow 
Chupin's  apron  ?  Who  is  this  devoted  and  courageous 
friend  who  feigned  drunkenness  so  effectually  that  even 
the  police  were  deceived,  and  placed  him  in  confinement 
with  you  ?  Dare  you  deny  that  you  have  not  arranged 
your  system  of  defence  in  concert  with  him  ?  Can  you 
affirm  that  he  did  not  give  the  Widow  Chupin  counsel  as 
to  the  course  she  must  pursue  ?  " 

But  already,  thanks  to  an  almost  superhuman  effort, 
the  man  had  mastered  his  agitation. 


178  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  All  this,"  said  he,  in  a  harsh  voice, "  is  a  mere  inven- 
tion of  the  police !  " 

However  faithfully  one  may  describe  an  examination 
of  this  sort,  it  gives  the  reader  no  more  idea  of  the  scene 
than  cold  ashes  give  the  effect  of  a  glowing  fire. 

One  can  note  down  the  slightest  word ;  but  one  can 
never  portray  the  repressed  animation,  the  impassioned 
movements,  the  studied  reticence,  the  intonation,  the 
glances  full  of  hatred  and  suspicion  which  encounter 
each  other — in  short,  the  terrible  anguish  of  a  mortal 
struggle. 

When  the  prisoner  reeled  beneath  the  power  of  his 
accusation,  the  judge  trembled  with  joy. 

"  He  weakens,"  he  thought,  "  he  yields — he  is  mine !  " 

But  all  hope  of  immediate  success  vanished  when  he 
saw  this  redoubtable  adversary  struggle  against  his 
momentary  weakness,  and  arm  himself  for  the  fight 
with  a  renewed  and  still  more  vigorous  energy. 

The  judge  comprehended  that  it  would  require  more 
than  one  assault  to  overcome  such  a  nature. 

So,  in  a  voice  rendered  still  more  harsh  by  disappoint- 
ment, he  resumed: 

"  Evidently  you  are  determined  to  deny  evidence 
itself." 

The  murderer  had  turned  to  bronze  again.  He  must 
have  bitterly  regretted  his  weakness,  for  a  fiendish  au- 
dacity glittered  in  his  eyes. 

"  What  evidence !  "  he  demanded,  frowning.  "  This 
romance  invented  by  the  police  is  very  plausible,  I  do 
not  deny  it ;  but  it  seems  to  me  that  the  truth  is  quite  as 
probable.  You  tell  me  of  a  coachrnan,  who  was  em- 
ployed by  two  small,  fair-haired  women — who  can  prove 
that  those  women  are  the  same  who  fled  from  this  ac- 
cursed hovel  ?  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  179 

''The  police  officer  followed  their  tracks  upon  the 
snow." 

"  At  night,  across  fields  cut  every  now  and  then  by 
ditches,  and  up  a  long  street,  while  a  fine  rain  was  fall- 
ing and  a  thaw  was  beginning!  That  is  very  prob- 
able!" 

He  extended  his  arm  toward  Lecoq,  and  in  a  tone 
of  crushing  scorn,  he  added : 

"  A  man  must  have  great  confidence  in  himself,  or  a 
wild  longing  for  advancement,  to  ask  that  a  man's  head 
should  be  cut  off  on  such  evidence  as  this !  " 

While  the  smiling  clerk  made  his  pen  fly  across  the 
paper,  he  said  to  himself : 

"  The  arrow  entered  the  bull's  eye  this  time !  " 

The  reproach  did  indeed  seem  just;  and  it  cut  Lecoq 
to  the  quick.  He  was  so  incensed,  that  forgetful  of  the 
place  in  which  he  was,  he  sprang  up,  furious. 

"  This  circumstance  would  be  of  slight  importance," 
said  he,  vehemently,  "  if  it  were  not  one  of  a  long 
chain " 

"  Silence !  "  interrupted  the  judge. 

Then  turning  to  the  prisoner  he  said : 

"  The  court  does  not  use  proofs  and  testimony  col- 
lected by  the  police  until  it  has  examined  and  weighed 
them." 

"  No  matter,"  murmured  the  man.  "  I  would  like  to 
see  this  coachman." 

"  Have  no  fears ;  he  shall  repeat  his  deposition  in 
your  presence." 

"  Very  well.  I  am  satisfied  then.  I  will  ask  him  how 
he  can  distinguish  people's  faces  when  it  is  as  dark 
as " 

He  checked  himself,  enlightened  apparently  by  a  sud- 
den inspiration. 


i8o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  How  stupid  I  am ! "  he  exclaimed.  "  I  lose  my  tem- 
per about  these  people  while  you  know  all  the  while  who 
they  are.  For  you  know,  do  you  not,  since  the  coach- 
man must  of  course  have  taken  them  to  their  homes." 

M.  Segmuller  saw  that  the  man  understood  him.  He 
saw,  too,  that  he  was  endeavoring  to  increase  the  shadow 
of  doubt  and  uncertainty  that  overhung  the  very  point 
upon  which  the  prosecution  was  so  anxious  to  obtain  in- 
formation. 

An  incomparable  comedian,  the  man  had  uttered 
these  words  with  an  accent  of  the  most  sincere  candor. 
But  the  irony  was  evident,  and  if  he  sneered,  it  was  be- 
cause he  felt  that  he  had  nothing  to  fear  from  this 
quarter. 

"  If  you  are  consistent,"  remarked  the  judge,  "  you 
will  also  deny  the  existence  of  an  accomplice,  of  a — 
comrade." 

"  Of  what  use  would  it  be  to  deny  it,  since  you  believe 
nothing  that  I  say  ?  You  only  a  moment  ago  insinuated 
that  my  former  employer  was  an  imaginary  personage ; 
what  shall  I  say  of  this  pretended  accomplice  ?  Ah !  the 
agents  who  invented  him  have  made  him  indeed  a  faith- 
ful friend.  Not  content  with  escaping  them  once,  he 
comes  to  place  himself  in  their  clutches  for  a  second 
time.  These  gentlemen  pretend  that  he  conferred  first 
with  me,  and  afterward  with  the  Widow  Chupin.  How 
did  that  happen  ?  Perhaps,  after  they  took  him  from  the 
cell  in  which  I  was  confined,  they  shut  him  up  with  the 
old  woman." 

Coquet  the  clerk  wrote  and  admired. 

"  Here,"  he  thought,  "  is  a  man  of  brain,  who  under- 
stands his  case,  and  who  will  have  no  need  of  the  elo- 
quence of  a  lawyer  in  pleading  his  cause  before  a 
jury." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  181 

"  And  after  all,"  continued  the  prisoner,  "  what  are 
the  proofs  against  me  ?  The  name  Lacheneur,  faltered 
by  a  dying  man,  some  footprints  upon  the  melting 
snow,  the  declaration  of  a  coachman,  a  vague  suspicion 
on  the  subject  of  a  drunken  man.  Are  these  all  ?  They 
do  not  amount  to  much " 

"  Enough !  "  interrupted  M.  Segmuller.  "  Your  as- 
surance is  great  now,  but  your  embarrassment  a  mo- 
ment since  was  even  greater.  What  was  the  cause  of 
it?" 

"  The  cause ! "  exclaimed  the  prisoner,  in  a  sort  of 
rage ;  "  the  cause !  Can  you  not  see,  Monsieur,  that 
you  are  torturing  me  frightfully,  pitilessly?  I  am  an 
innocent  man,  and  you  are  trying  to  deprive  me  of  my 
life.  You  have  been  turning  me  this  way  and  that  for  so 
many  hours,  that  I  begin  to  feel  as  if  I  were  standing 
on  the  guillotine ;  and  at  each  word  that  I  utter,  I  ask 
myself  if  this  is  the  one  that  will  make  the  axe  fall  upon 
my  head.  My  anxiety  and  dismay  surprise  you,  do 
they,  when  I  have  felt  the  cold  knife  graze  my  throat 
at  least  twenty  times?  I  would  not  desire  my  worst 
enemy  to  be  subjected  to  torture  like  this." 

He  was,  indeed,  suffering  terribly.  His  hair  was 
saturated  with  perspiration,  and  great  drops  of  sweat 
stood  out  upon  his  cheeks  and  rolled  from  his  pallid 
brow  down  upon  his  beard. 

"  I  am  not  your  enemy,"  said  the  judge,  more  gently. 
"  A  judge  is  neither  the  friend  nor  the  enemy  of  a  pris- 
oner ;  he  is  simply  the  friend  of  truth  and  of  the  law. 
I  am  not  seeking  an  innocent  man  or  a  culprit ;  I  merely 
wish  to  arrive  at  the  truth.  I  must  know  who  you  are — 
and  I  do  know." 

"  Ah ! — if  the  assertion  costs  me  my  life — I  am 
May." 


i82  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  No." 

"  Who  am  I,  then  ?  Some  great  man  in  disguise  ? 
Ah !  I  would  that  I  were !  In  that  case,  I  should  have 
satisfactory  papers.  I  would  show  them  to  you,  and 
you  would  set  me  free,  for  you  know  very  well,  my 
good  sir,  that  I  am  as  innocent  as  yourself." 

The  judge  had  left  his  desk,  and  seated  himself  by  the 
fireplace,  only  a  couple  of  feet  from  the  prisoner. 

"  Do  not  insist,"  said  he. 

Then  suddenly  changing  both  manner  and  tone,  he 
added,  with  the  urbanity  that  a  man  of  the  world  dis- 
plays when  addressing  an  equal : 

"  Do  me  the  honor,  Monsieur,  to  believe  me  gifted 
with  sufficient  perspicuity  to  recognize,  under  the  diffi- 
cult role  that  you  play  to  such  perfection,  a  very  superior 
gentleman — a  man  endowed  with  remarkable  talent." 

Lecoq  saw  that  this  sudden  change  of  manner  had 
unmanned  the  prisoner. 

He  tried  to  laugh,  but  the  laugh  died  in  his  throat 
as  mournful  as  a  sob,  and  tears  glittered  in  his  eyes. 

"  I  will  not  torture  you  any  longer,  Monsieur,"  con- 
tinued the  judge.  "  Upon  this  ground  of  subtle  reason- 
ing I  confess  that  you  have  conquered  me.  When  I 
return  to  the  charge  I  shall  have  proofs  enough  in  my 
possession  to  crush  you." 

He  reflected  for  a  moment,  then  slowly,  and  lingering 
over  each  word,  he  added : 

"  Only  do  not  expect  from  me  then  the  consideration 
I  have  shown  you  to-day.  Justice  is  human,  Monsieur ; 
that  is,  she  is  indulgent  to  certain  crimes.  She  has 
fathomed  the  depths  of  the  abyss  into  which  blind  pas- 
sion may  hurl  even  an  honest  man.  To-day,  any  assist- 
ance that  will  not  conflict  with  my  duty  I  freely  offer 
tp  you.  Speak,  Monsieur.  Shall  I  send  away  this 


"  Can  you  not  see,  monsieur,  that  you  are  torturing  me  fright- 
fully, pitilessly?  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  183 

officer  of  police  ?  Do  you  wish  me  to  send  my  clerk  out 
of  the  room  upon  some  errand  ?  " 

He  said  no  more.  He  wanted  to  see  the  effect  of  this 
last,  this  supreme  effort. 

The  murderer  darted  upon  him  one  of  those  glances 
that  penetrate  to  the  depths  of  one's  inmost  soul.  His 
lips  moved ;  one  might  have  supposed  that  he  was  about 
to  speak.  But  no ;  he  crossed  his  arms  upon  his  breast 
and  murmured : 

"  You  are  very  frank,  Monsieur.  Unfortunately  for 
me.  I  am  only  a  poor  devil,  as  I  have  told  you,  May, 
artist — to  speak  to  the  public  and  turn  a  compliment." 

"  I  am  forced  to  yield  to  your  decision,"  said  the 
judge,  sadly.  "  The  clerk  will  now  read  the  report  of 
your  examination — listen." 

Goquet  read  the  deposition. 

The  prisoner  listened  without  making  any  remark, 
but  when  the  reading  was  concluded  he  refused  to  sign 
the  document,  fearing,  he  said,  "  some  hidden  treach- 
ery." 

A  moment  after,  the  soldiers  who  had  brought  him 
there,  led  him  away. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

When  the  prisoner  had  departed,  M.  Segmuller  sank 
back  in  his  arm-chair,  weary,  exhausted,  and  in  that 
state  of  nervous  prostration  which  so  often  follows  pro- 
tracted, but  fruitless  efforts. 

He  had  scarcely  strength  to  bathe  his  burning  fore- 
head and  his  glittering  eyes  in  cool,  refreshing  water. 
This  frightful  scene  had  lasted  for  seven  consecutive 
hours,  at  least. 


i84  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  smiling  clerk,  who  all  the  while  had  kept  his  place 
at  his  desk,  busily  writing,  rose,  glad  of  an  opportunity 
to  stretch  his  limbs  and  snap  his  fingers,  cramped  by 
holding  the  pen. 

Still,  he  was  not  in  the  least  bored.  These  dramas 
which  had  been  unrolled  in  his  presence  for  so  many 
years,  had  never  ceased  to  afford  him  a  half -theatrical 
interest,  increased  by  the  uncertainty  in  which  the  der 
noucment  was  shrouded,  and  by  the  consciousness  of 
some  slight  participation  in  the  affair. 

"  What  a  knave !  "  he  exclaimed,  after  vainly  waiting 
some  expression  of  opinion  from  the  judge  or  from  the 
detective ;  "  what  a  rascal !  " 

Ordinarily,  M.  Segmuller  accorded  some  degree  of 
confidence  to  the  long  experience  of  his  clerk.  He  some- 
times even  went  so  far  as  to  consult  him,  doubtless 
somewhat  in  the  same  style  that  Moliere  consulted  his 
servant. 

But  this  time  he  did  not  accept  his  opinion. 

"  No,"  said  he  in  a  thoughtful  tone,  "  that  man  is  not 
a  knave.  When  I  spoke  to  him  kindly  he  was  really 
touched;  he  wept,  he  hesitated.  I  would  have  sworn 
that  he  was  about  to  confide  everything  to  me." 

"  Ah !  he  is  a  remarkable  man — a  man  of  wonder- 
ful power !  "  said  Lecoq. 

The  detective  was  sincere  in  his  praise.  Although  the 
prisoner  had  disappointed  his  plans,  and  had  even  in- 
sulted him,  he  could  not  help  admiring  his  adversary's 
shrewdness  and  courage. 

He  had  prepared  himself  to  struggle  with  this  man 
to  the  death — he  hoped  to  conquer  him.  Nevertheless, 
in  his  secret  soul  Lecoq  experienced  that  sympathy 
which  a  "  foeman  worthy  of  one's  steel "  always  in- 
spires. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  185 

"  What  coolness,  what  courage !  "  continued  Lecoq. 
"  Ah !  there  is  no  denying  it,  his  system  of  defence — of 
absolute  denial — is  a  chef-d'oeuvre.  It  is  perfect.  And 
.how  admirably  he  sustained  the  different  role  of  buf- 
foon !  Sometimes  I  could  scarcely  restrain  my  admira- 
tion. What  are  all  these  famous  comedians  beside  him  ? 
The  greatest  actors  need  the  aid  of  stage  scenery  to  sup- 
port the  illusion.  This  man  almost  convinced  me  even 
against  my  reason." 

"  Do  you  know  what  your  very  just  criticism 
proves?  "  inquired  the  judge. 

"  I  am  listening,  Monsieur." 

"  Ah,  well !  I  have  arrived  at  this  conclusion — either 
this  man  is  really  May,  artist — for  the  paying  of  com- 
pliments, as  he  says — or  he  belongs  to  the  highest  rank 
of  society ;  not  to  the  middle  classes.  It  is  only  in  the 
lowest  ranks  or  in  the  highest,  that  you  encounter  such 
grim  energy  as  he  has  displayed,  such  scorn  of  life,  as 
well  as  such  remarkable  presence  of  mind  and  resolu- 
tion. A  vulgar  bourgeois  attracted  to  the  Poivriere  by 
some  shameful  passion  would  have  confessed  it  long 
ago." 

"  But,  Monsieur,  this  man  is  not  the  buffoon,  May," 
replied  the  young  detective. 

"  No,  certainly  not,"  responded  M.  Segmuller ;  "  we 
must,  therefore,  decide  upon  some  plan  of  action." 

He  smiled  kindly,  and  added,  in  a  friendly  voice : 

"  It  was  unnecessary  to  tell  you  that,  Monsieur  Lecoq. 
Quite  unnecessary,  since  to  you  belongs  the  honor  of 
having  detected  this  fraud.  As  for  me,  I  confess,  that 
if  I  had  not  been  warned  in  advance,  I  should  at  this 
moment  be  the  dupe  of  this  clever  artist." 

The  young  man  bowed ;  a  blush  of  modesty  tinged  his 
cheeks,  but  his  pleased  vanity  sparkled  in  his  eyes. 


186  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

What  a  difference  between  this  friendly  and  benevo- 
lent judge  and  that  other,  so  taciturn  and  so  haughty. 

This  man,  at  least,  understood,  appreciated,  and  en- 
couraged him ;  and  it  was  with  a  common  theory  and 
an  equal  ardor  that  they  were  about  to  devote  them- 
selves to  a  search  for  the  truth. 

These  thoughts  flitted  through  Lecoq's  mind;  then 
he  reflected  that  his  satisfaction  was  a  trifle  premature, 
and  that  success  was  still  extremely  doubtful. 

This  rather  chilling  thought  restored  his  coolness. 

"  Monsieur,  an  idea  has  just  occurred  to  me,"  he  said, 
calmly. 

"  Let  me  hear  it." 

"  The  Widow  Chupin,  as  you  undoubtedly  recollect, 
alluded  to  her  son,  a  certain  Polyte " 

"  Yes." 

"  Why  not  question  him  ?  He  must  know  all  the 
habitues  of  the  Poivriere,  and  would  perhaps  give  us 
valuable  information  regarding  Gustave,  Lacheneur, 
and  the  murderer  himself.  As  he  is  not  in  solitary  con- 
finement, he  has  probably  heard  of  his  mother's  arrest ; 
but  it  seems  to  me  impossible  that  he  should  suspect  our 
present  perplexity." 

"  Ah !  you  are  a  hundred  times  right !  "  exclaimed  the 
judge.  "  Why  did  I  not  think  of  that  myself  ?  To-mor- 
row morning  I  will  question  this  man,  whose  situation 
renders  him  less  likely  to  have  been  tampered  with  than, 
these  parties.  I  will  also  question  his  wife." 

He  turned  to  his  clerk  and  added : 

"  Quick,  Coquet,  prepare  a  summons  in  the  name  of 
the  wife  of  Hippolyte  Chupin,  and  address  an  order  to 
the  keeper  of  the  depot  for  her  husband !  " 

But  night  was  coming  on.  It  was  already  so  dark 
that  one  could  not  see  to  write,  and  the  clerk  rang  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  187 

bell  and  asked  for  a  light.  Just  as  the  messenger  who 
had  brought  in  the  lamps  was  leaving  the  room,  some- 
one rapped.  The  door  opened,  and  the  keeper  of  the 
prison  entered  with  his  hat  in  his  hand. 

During  the  past  twenty- four  hours  this  worthy  officef 
had  been  greatly  exercised  in  mind  on  account  of  thg 
mysterious  prisoner  whom  he  had  placed  in  secret  cell 
No.  3,  and  he  came  to  the  judge  for  advice. 

"  I  come  to  ask  if  I  am  to  retain  the  prisoner,  May, 
in  solitary  confinement  ?  " 

"  Yes." 

"  I  fear  his  attacks  of  frenzy,  still  I  dislike  to  con- 
fine him  in  the  strait-jacket  again." 

"  Leave  him  free  in  his  cell,"  replied  M.  Segmuller, 
"  and  tell  the  keepers  to  treat  him  kindly,  but  yet  to 
exercise  a  constant  surveillance  over  him." 

By  the  provisions  of  Article  613,  although  accused 
parties  are  confided  to  the  authority  of  the  government, 
the  judge  is  allowed,  previous  to  the  trial,  to  adopt  such 
measures  concerning  them  as  he  may  deem  necessary 
for  the  interests  of  the  prosecution. 

The  keeper  bowed ;  then  he  added : 

"  You  have  doubtless  succeeded  in  establishing  the 
identity  of  this  prisoner  ?  " 

"  Unfortunately,  I  have  not." 

The  keeper  shook  his  head  with  a  knowing  air. 

"  In  that  case,  my  conjectures  were  correct,"  said  he. 
"  It  seems  to  me  more  than  sufficiently  demonstrated 
that  this  man  is  a  malefactor  of  the  worst  sort — an  old 
offender  certainly,  and  one  who  has  the  strongest  inter- 
est in  concealing  his  identity.  You  will  find  that  you 
have  to  deal  with  a  man  who  has  been  sentenced  to  the 
galleys  for  life,  and  who  has  managed  to  make  his  escape 
from  Cayenne." 


i88  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Perhaps  you  are  mistaken." 

"  Hum !  I  shall  be  greatly  surprised  if  I  discover  that 
I  am.  I  must  admit  that  my  opinion  in  this  matter  cor- 
responds exactly  with  that  of  Monsieur  Gevrol,  the 
most  experienced  and  the  most  skilful  of  our  inspect- 
ors. I  agree  with  him  in  thinking  that  young  detec- 
tives are  often  over-zealous,  and  run  after  phantoms 
originated  in  their  own  brains." 

Lecoq,  crimson  with  wrath,  was  about  to  make  an 
angry  response,  when  M.  Segmuller,  with  a  gesture,  im- 
posed silence. 

It  was  the  judge  who,  with  a  smile,  replied  to  the 
keeper. 

"  Upon  my  word,  my  dear  friend,"  he  said,  "  the 
more  I  study  this  affair,  the  more  convinced  I  am  of  the 
correctness  of  the  theory  advanced  by  the  '  too-zealous 
detective/  But,  after  all,  I  am  not  infallible,  and  I  shall 
depend  upon  your  counsel  and  assistance." 

"  Oh !  I  have  means  of  verifying  my  assertion,"  in- 
terrupted the  keeper ;  "  and  I  hope  before  the  end  of  the 
next  twenty-four  hours  that  our  man  will  have  been 
identified,  either  by  the  police  or  by  some  one  of  his 
fellow-prisoners." 

With  these  words  he  took  his  leave,  and  Lecoq  sprang 
up,  furious. 

"  You  see  that  this  Gevrol  already  speaks  ill  of  me ;  he 
is  jealous." 

"  Ah,  well !  what  does  that  matter  to  you  ?  If  you 
succeed,  you  will  have  your  revenge.  If  you  are  mis- 
taken— I  am  mistaken,  too." 

And  then,  as  it  was  already  late,  M.  Segmuller  con- 
fided to  Lecoq's  keeping  the  articles  which  the  latter 
had  accumulated  in  support  of  his  theory.  He  also 
placed  in  his  hands  the  diamond  ear-ring,  whose  owner 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  189 

must  be  discovered,  then  the  letter  signed  Lacheneur, 
which  had  been  found  in  the  pocket  of  the  dead  sol- 
dier. 

He  gave  him  several  commissions,  and,  after  request- 
ing him  to  make  his  appearance  promptly  on  the  mor- 
row, he  dismissed  him  with  these  words : 

"  Now  go ;  and  good  luck  attend  you !  " 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

Long,  narrow,  low  of  ceiling,  and  pierced  by  many 
small,  numbered  doors,  like  the  corridor  of  a  hotel,  its 
sole  furniture  an  immense  oaken  desk,  blackened  by 
age — such  is  the  galerie  d'instruction  in  the  Palais  de 
Justice. 

Even  in  the  daytime,  when  it  is  thronged  with  pris- 
oners, witnesses,  and  guards,  it  is  a  sad  and  gloomy 
place. 

But  it  is  sinister  of  aspect  at  night,  when  deserted, 
and  only  dimly  lighted  by  the  smoking  lamp  of  the  door- 
keeper, who  is  waiting  for  the  departure  of  some  judge 
whom  business  has  detained  later  than  usual. 

Although  Lecoq  was  not  sensitive  to  such  influences, 
he  made  haste  to  reach  the  staircase  and  escape  the  echo 
of  his  own  steps,  which  resounded  drearily  in  the  si- 
lence and  darkness  that  pervaded  the  corridor. 

On  the  floor  below  a  window  was  standing  open,  and 
the  young  man  leaned  out  to  ascertain  the  state  of  the 
weather. 

The  temperature  was  much  milder;  the  snow  had 
disappeared  entirely,  and  the  pavements  were  almost 
dry.  A  slight  haze,  illumined  by  the  red  glare  of  the 
street-lamps,  hung  like  a  purple  mantle  over  the  city. 


1 90  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  streets  below  were  gay  and  animated ;  carriages 
were  rolling  rapidly  to  and  fro,  and  the  pavements  were 
too  narrow  for  the  bustling  crowd,  which,  now  that  the 
labors  of  the  day  were  ended,  was  hastening  in  pursuit 
of  its  pleasures. 

This  spectacle  drew  a  sigh  from  the  young  detective. 

"  And  it  is  in  this  great  city,  in  the  midst  of  this  world 
of  people  that  I  must  discover  the  traces  of  an  unknown 
person !  Is  it  possible  to  do  this  ?  " 

But  this  feeling  of  discouragement  did  not  endure 
long. 

"  Yes,  it  is  possible,"  cried  an  inward  voice.  "  Be- 
sides, it  must  be  done;  your  future  depends  upon  it. 
What  one  wills,  one  can  do." 

Ten  seconds  later  he  was  in  the  street,  more  than  ever 
inflamed  with  hope  and  courage. 

To  act  as  the  servants  of  boundless  desires,  man  has, 
unfortunately,  only  organs  of  limited  power.  The 
young  man  had  not  advanced  twenty  steps  before  he 
realized  the  fact  that  his  physical  powers  would  not  obey 
the  command  of  his  will.  His  limbs  trembled ;  his  head 
whirled.  Nature  asserted  her  rights ;  for  two  days  and 
nights  Lecoq  had  taken  scarcely  a  moment's  rest,  and 
he  had  eaten  nothing  that  day. 

"  Am  I  going  to  be  ill  ?  "  he  thought,  sinking  down 
upon  a  bench. 

And  he  groaned  inwardly,  on  recapitulating  all  that 
he  wished  to  do  that  evening. 

Must  he  not  (to  mention  only  the  most  important) 
ascertain  the  results  of  Father  Absinthe's  search  after 
the  man  who  had  recognized  one  of  the  victims  in  the 
morgue;  must  he  not  verify  in  the  hotels  which  sur- 
round the  northern  depot  the  assertions  made  by  the 
prisoner;  and  last,  but  not  least,  must  he  not  procure 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  191 

the  address  of  Polyte  Chupin's  wtfe,  in  order  to  serve 
the  summons  upon  her  ? 

Under  the  power  of  urgent  necessity,  he  succeeded 
in  triumphing  over  his  weakness,  and  he  rose,  mur- 
muring : 

"  I  will  go  to  the  prefecture,  and  to  the  morgue ;  then 
I  will  see." 

But  he  did  not  find  Father  Absinthe  at  the  prefecture, 
and  no  one  could  give  any  tidings  of  him.  The  good 
man  had  not  made  his  appearance  there  at  all  during 
the  day. 

Nor  could  anyone  indicate,  even  vaguely,  the  abode 
of  the  Widow  Chupin's  daughter-in-law. 

But  he  met  a  number  of  his  colleagues,  who  laughed 
and  jeered  at  him  unmercifully. 

"  Ah !  you  are  a  shrewd  one !  " — all  whom  he  met 
said  to  him — "  it  seems  that  you  have  just  made  a  won- 
derful discovery !  They  talk  of  decorating  you  with  the 
cross." 

Gevrol's  influence  betrayed  itself  everywhere.  The 
angry  inspector  had  taken  pains  to  inform  each  new- 
comer that  this  poor  Lecoq,  crazed  by  ambition,  per- 
sisted in  declaring  that  a  low,  vulgar  fugitive  from  jus- 
tice was  some  great  personage. 

But  these  jeers  had  but  little  effect  upon  the  young 
man.  "  He  laughs  best  who  laughs  last,"  he  muttered. 

If  he  was  restless  and  anxious  as  he  walked  up  the 
Quai  des  Orfevres,  it  was  only  because  he  could  not  ex- 
plain the  prolonged  absence  of  Father  Absinthe,  and  be- 
cause he  wondered  if  Gevrol,  in  his  mad  jealousy,  would 
not  attempt,  in  an  underhand  way,  to  entangle  all  the 
threads  of  this  business  still  more. 

At  the  morgue,  he  met  with  no  better  success.  After 
ringing  three  or  four  times,  one  of  the  guard  who  came 


i92  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

to  open  the  door  informed  him  that  the  bodies  had  not 
been  identified,  and  that  the  old  policeman  had  not  been 
seen  since  he  left  there  early  in  the  morning. 

"  This  is  a  bad  beginning,"  thought  Lecoq.  "  I  will 
go  and  get  some  dinner — that  will,  perhaps,  change  the 
luck;  and  I  have  certainly  earned  the  bottle  of  good 
wine  to  which  I  intend  to  treat  myself." 

It  was  a  happy  thought.  Some  dinner  and  a  couple 
of  glasses  of  Bordeaux  sent  new  courage  and  energy 
coursing  through  his  veins.  If  he  still  felt  weary,  the 
sensation  was  greatly  diminished  when  he  left  the  res- 
taurant with  a  cigar  between  his  lips. 

Just  at  that  moment  he  longed  for  the  carriage  and 
the  good  horse  of  Father  Papillon.  Fortunately,  a 
fiacre  was  passing ;  he  hired  it,  and  as  the  clock  struck 
eight  he  alighted  at  the  square  near  the  Northern  depot. 
He  looked  about  a  little  first,  then  he  began  his  search. 

It  must  be  understood  that  he  did  not  present  himself 
in  his  official  capacity.  That  would  be  a  sure  way  of 
learning  nothing. 

By  brushing  back  his  hair  and  turning  up  his  coat  col- 
lar, he  made  a  very  considerable  alteration  in  his  ap- 
pearance; and  it  was  with  a  very  pronounced  English 
accent  that  he  asked  information  concerning  a  "  foreign 
workman." 

But  vainly  he  employed  all  his  address  in  questioning 
parties ;  everywhere  he  received  the  same  response : 

"  We  do  not  know  such  a  person ;  we  have  not  seen 
anyone  answering  this  description." 

Any  other  reply  would  have  astonished  Lecoq,  so 
strongly  persuaded  was  he  that  the  prisoner  had  only 
related  this  incident  of  a  trunk  left  at  one  of  these  hotels 
in  order  to  give  a  semblance  of  truth  to  his  narrative. 

Still  he  continued  his  investigation.    If  he  noted  upon 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  193 

his  memorandum-book  all  the  hotels  he  had  visited,  it 
was  only  because  he  wished  to  make  sure  of  the  discom- 
fiture of  the  prisoner  when  they  brought  him  here  to 
prove  the  truth  of  his  story. 

At  last  he  reached  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg,  on  the 
corner  of  the  Rue  de  St.  Quentin. 

The  house  was  modest  in  its  proportions ;  but  seemed 
respectable  and  well  kept.  Lecoq  pushed  open  the  glass 
doors,  furnished  with  a  spring  bell,  that  opened  into  the 
vestibule,  and  entered  the  office — a  neat  room,  brightly 
lighted. 

There  was  a  woman  in  the  office.  She  was  standing 
upon  a  chair,  her  face  on  a  level  with  a  large  bird-cage, 
covered  with  a  piece  of  black  silk ;  and  she  was  repeat- 
ing three  or  four  German  words  with  great  earnestness 
to  the  occupant  of  the  cage. 

She  was  so  engrossed  in  this  occupation  that  Lecoq 
was  obliged  to  make  considerable  noise  before  he  could 
attract  her  attention. 

As  she  turned,  he  said : 

"  Ah !  good-evening,  Madame ;  you  are  much  inter- 
ested, I  see,  in  teaching  your  parrot  to  talk." 

"  It  is  not  a  parrot  that  I  have  here,"  replied,  the  wom- 
an, who  had  not  yet  descended  from  her  perch ;  "  it  is  a 
starling;  I  am  trying  to  teach  it  to  say  in  German: 
'  Have  you  breakfasted  ?  ' ' 

"  What !  can  starlings  talk  ?  " 

"  As  well  as  persons.  Yes,  Monsieur,"  said  the 
woman,  jumping  down  from  her  chair. 

Just  then  the  bird,  as  if  it  had  understood  the  ques- 
tion, cried  very  distinctly: 

"  Camille !    Where  is  Camille  ?  " 

But  Lecoq  was  too  anxious  to  bestow  much  attention 
upon  the  bird. 


194  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Madame,"  he  began,  "  I  wish  to  speak  to  the  pro- 
prietor of  this  hotel." 

"  I  am  the  proprietor." 

"  Oh !  very  well.  I  was  expecting  a  mechanic — from 
Leipsic,  to  meet  me  here  in  Paris.  To  my  great  sur- 
prise, he  has  not  made  his  appearance ;  and  I  came  to  in- 
quire if  he  was  stopping  here  ?  His  name  is  May." 

"  May !  "  repeated  the  hostess,  thoughtfully.  "  May !  " 

"  He  ought  to  have  arrived  last  Sunday  evening." 

The  woman's  face  brightened. 

"  Wait  a  moment,"  said  she.  "  Was  this  friend  a 
middle-aged  man,  of  medium  size,  of  very  dark  com- 
plexion— wearing  a  full  beard,  and  having  very  bright 
eyes  ?  " 

Lecoq  trembled.  This  was  a  perfect  description  of 
the  murderer. 

"  Yes,"  he  stammered,  "  that  is  a  very  good  portrait 
of  the  man." 

"Ah,  well!  Monsieur,  he  came  here  on  the  after- 
noon of  Shrove  Sunday.  He  asked  for  a  cheap  room, 
and  I  showed  him  one  on  the  fifth  floor.  The  office-boy 
was  not  here  at  the  time,  and  he  insisted  upon  taking  his 
trunk  upstairs  himself.  I  offered  him  some  refresh- 
ments ;  but  he  declined  to  take  anything,  on  account  of 
his  being  in  a  great  hurry ;  and  he  went  away  after  giv- 
ing me  ten  francs  as  security  for  his  room-rent." 

"  Where  is  he  ?  "  inquired  the  young  detective. 

"  Mon  Dieu!  Monsieur,  that  reminds  me,"  replied  the 
woman.  "  This  man  has  not  returned,  and  I  have  been 
very  anxious  about  him.  Paris  is  such  a  dangerous 
place  for  strangers !  It  is  true  he  spoke  French  as  well 
as  you  or  I ;  but  what  of  that  ?  Last  evening  I  gave 
orders  that  the  commissioner  of  police  should  be  in- 
formed of  the  matter." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  195 

"  Yesterday — the  commissioner !  " 

"  Yes.  Still  I  do  not  know  whether  the  boy  did  the 
errand.  I  had  forgotten  all  about  it.  Allow  me  to 
ring  for  the  boy,  and  ask  him." 

A  bucket  of  ice-water  falling  upon  the  head  of  the 
detective,  could  not  have  astonished  him  more  than  this 
announcement  from  the  proprietress  of  the  Hotel  de 
Mariembourg. 

Had  the  murderer  indeed  told  the  truth?  Could  it 
be  possible  ?  Gevrol  and  the  keeper  of  the  prison  were 
right,  then!  And  M.  Segmuller  and  he,  Lecoq,  were 
senseless  fools,  pursuing  a  phantom. 

All  this  flashed  like  lightning  through  the  brain  of 
the  detective. 

But  he  had  no  time  for  reflection.  The  boy  who  had 
been  summoned  made  his  appearance — a  big,  over- 
grown boy — with  a  frank,  chubby  face. 

"  Fritz,"  demanded  his  mistress,  "  did  you  go  to  the 
office  of  the  commissioner?" 

"  Yes,  Madame." 

"What  did  he  say?" 

"  He  was  not  in ;  but  I  spoke  to  his  secretary,  Mon- 
sieur Casimir,  who  told  me  to  tell  you  not  to  worry 
yourself,  that  the  man  would  return." 

"  He  has  not  returned." 

The  boy  raised  his  arms,  with  that  movement  of  the 
shoulders  which  is  the  most  eloquent  translation  of  that 
response : 

"  What  would  you  have  me  do  about  it  ?  " 

"  You  hear,  sir,"  said  the  hostess,  apparently  think- 
ing the  importunate  questioner  would  withdraw. 

Such,  however,  was  not  the  intention  of  Lecoq,  and  he 
did  not  move,  though  he  had  need  of  all  his  self-posses- 
sion to  retain  his  English  accent. 


196  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  This  is  very  annoying,"  said  he,  "  very !  I  am 
even  more  anxious  and  undecided  than  I  was  before, 
since  I  am  not  certain  that  this  is  the  man  I  am  seek- 
ing." 

"  But,  sir,  what  more  can  I  tell  you  ?  " 

Lecoq  reflected  for  a  moment,  knitting  his  brows  and 
biting  his  lips,  as  if  he  were  trying  to  invent  some  means 
of  solving  the  mystery. 

The  fact  is,  he  was  seeking  some  adroit  circumlocu- 
tion by  which  he  could  propose  that  this  woman  should 
show  him  the  register  in  which  all  guests  are  compelled 
to  inscribe  their  full  names,  their  profession,  and  their 
residence ;  but  he  feared  to  arouse  her  suspicions. 

"  But,  Madame,  can  you  not  remember  the  name 
which  this  man  gave  you  ?  Was  it  May  ?  Try  to  recol- 
lect if  that  was  the  name — May — May !  " 

"  Ah !    I  have  so  many  things  to  remember." 

"  It  would  be  a  great  convenience  if  each  guest  were 
required  to  inscribe  his  name  in  a  register,  as  is  the 
custom  in  England.'' 

"  But  they  do  register,"  replied  the  woman.  "  I  have 
a  book  for  that  purpose,  in  which  a  whole  column  is  al- 
lotted to  each  guest.  And  now  I  think  of  it ;  I  could,  if 
it  would  oblige  you,  show  you  my  book.  It  is  there,  in 
the  drawer  of  my  secretary.  Well,  now!  what  can  I 
have  done  with  my  key  ?  " 

And  while  the  hostess,  who  seemed  to  possess  but  lit- 
tle more  intelligence  than  her  bird,  was  turning  the 
whole  office  upside  down  in  her  search  for  the  key,  Le- 
coq scrutinized  her  closely. 

She  was  about  forty  years  of  age,  with  an  abundance 
of  light  hair,  and  a  very  fair  complexion.  She  was  well 
preserved — that  is  to  say — she  was  plump  and  healthy 
in  appearance;  her  glance  was  frank  and  unembar- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  197 

rassed ;  her  voice  was  clear  and  musical,  and  her  man- 
ners were  pleasing,  and  entirely  free  from  affectation. 

"  Ah !  "  she  exclaimed,  "  I  have  found  the  miserable 
key  at  last." 

She  opened  her  desk,  took  out  the  register,  which 
she  laid  upon  the  table,  and  began  turning  over  the 
leaves. 

At  last  she  found  the  desired  page. 

"  Sunday,  February  2oth,"  said  she.  "  Look,  Mon- 
sieur: here  on  the  seventh  line — May — no  Christian 
name — foreign  artist — coming  from  Leipsic — without 
papers." 

While  Lecoq  was  examining  this  record  with  a  dazed 
air,  the  woman  exclaimed : 

"  Ah !  now  I  can  explain  how  it  happened  that  I  for- 
got this  name — May,  and  this  strange  profession — 
foreign  artist.  I  did  not  write  it  myself." 

"  Who  did  write  it,  then?  " 

"  The  man  himself,  while  I  was  finding  ten  francs  to 
give  him  as  change  for  the  louis  he  handed  me.  You 
can  see  that  the  writing  is  not  at  all  like  that  in  which 
the  names  above  and  below  are  recorded." 

Yes,  Lecoq  had  observed  that  fact ;  and  it  was  an  irre- 
futable argument,  as  sure  and  as  strong  as  a  blow  from 
a  cudgel. 

"  Are  you  sure,"  he  insisted,  "  that  this  record  is  in 
the  man's  handwriting;  would  you  swear  it?  " 

In  his  anxiety,  he  had  forgotten  his  foreign  accent. 
The  woman  noticed  this  at  once,  for  she  drew  back  and 
cast  a  suspicious  glance  at  the  pretended  stranger. 
Then  defiance  and  anger  at  having  been  duped  seemed 
to  take  possession  of  her. 

"  I  know  what  I  am  saying,"  she  said,  indignantly. 
"  And  now  this  is  enough,  is  it  not  ?  " 


198  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Knowing  that  he  had  betrayed  himself,  and  thor- 
oughly ashamed  of  his  lack  of  coolness,  Lecoq  re- 
nounced his  English  accent  altogether. 

"  Pardon  me,"  he  said,  "  if  I  ask  one  more  question. 
Have  you  this  man's  trunk  in  your  possession  ?  " 

"  Certainly." 

"  Ah !  you  would  do  me  an  immense  service  by 
showing  it  to  me." 

"  Show  it  to  you !  "  exclaimed  the  fair-haired  hostess, 
angrily.  "  What  do  you  take  me  for  ?  What  do  you 
want  ?  and  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  In  a  half  hour  you  shall  know,"  replied  the  detec- 
tive, realizing  that  further  persuasion  would  be  useless. 

He  hastily  left  the  room,  ran  to  the  Place  de  Robaux, 
leaped  into  a  carriage,  and  giving  the  driver  the  address 
of  the  commissioner  of  police  for  that  district,  promised 
him  a  hundred  sous  over  and  above  the  regular  fare  if 
he  would  make  haste.  As  might  have  been  expected 
under  such  circumstances,  the  poor  horses  fairly  flew 
under  the  stroke  of  the  whip. 

Lecoq  was  fortunate  enough  to  find  the  commissioner 
at  home.  The  detective  made  known  his  business,  and 
was  immediately  ushered  into  the  presence  of  the  magis- 
trate. 

"  Ah !  sir,"  he  cried,  "  will  you  assist  me  ?  " 

And  in  a  breath  he  told  his  story. 

When  it  was  concluded : 

"  It  is  really  true  that  they  came  to  inform  me  of  this 
man's  disappearance,"  said  the  judge.  "  Casimir  told 
me  about  it  this  morning." 

"  They — came — to  inform — you — "  faltered  Lecoq. 

"  Yes,  yesterday ;  but  I  have  had  so  much  to  occupy 
my  time.  Now,  my  boy,  how  can  I  serve  you  ?  " 

"  Come  with  me,  sir ;  compel  them  to  show  us  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  199 

trunk,  and  send  for  a  locksmith  to  open  it.  Here  is  the 
authority — a  search-warrant  given  me  by  the  judge  to 
use  in  case  of  necessity.  Let  us  lose  no  time.  I  have 
a  carriage  at  the  door." 

"  We  will  start  at  once,"  said  the  commissioner. 

When  they  had  entered  the  fiacre,  which  started  off  at 
a  gallop : 

"  Now,  sir,"  said  the  young  detective,  "  permit  me  to 
ask  if  you  know  this  woman  who  keeps  the  Hotel  de 
Mariembourg  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,  I  know  her  very  well.  When  I  was 
first  appointed  to  this  district,  six  years  ago,  I  was  not 
married,  and  for  a  long  time  I  took  my  meals  at  this 
lady's  table  d'hote.  Casimir,  my  secretary,  boards  there 
yet." 

"  And  what  kind  of  a  woman  is  she?  " 

"  Why,  upon  my  word,  my  young  friend,  Madame 
Milner — for  such  is  her  name — is  a  very  respectable 
widow  (esteemed  and  much  beloved  in  this  neighbor- 
hood), who  has  a  very  prosperous  business,  and  who 
remains  a  widow  only  from  choice,  for  she  is  extremely 
agreeable,  and  has  plenty  of  suitors." 

"  Then  you  do  not  think  her  capable,  for  the  sake  of  a 
good  round  sum,  of — what  shall  I  say? — of  serving 
some  very  rich  culprit " 

"  Have  you  gone  mad  ?  "  interrupted  the  commis- 
sioner. "  Madame  Milner  consent  to  testify  falsely  for 
the  sake  of  money.  Have  I  not  just  told  you  that  she 
is  an  honest  woman,  and  that  she  has  a  very  comforta- 
ble fortune  ?  Besides,  she  informed  me  yesterday  that 
this  man  was  missing,  so " 

Lecoq  made  no  reply;  they  had  reached  their  desti- 
nation. 

On  seeing  her  obstinate  questioner  reappear,  accom- 


200  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

panied  by  the  commissioner,  Mme.  Milner  seemed  to 
understand  it  all. 

"  Mon  Dieu ! "  she  exclaimed,  "  a  detective !  I  might 
have  known  it !  Some  crime  has  been  committed ;  and 
now  my  hotel  has  lost  its  reputation  forever ! " 

It  took  quite  a  long  time  to  reassure  and  to  console 
her ;  all  the  time  that  was  required  to  find  a  locksmith. 

At  last  they  went  up  to  the  room  of  the  missing  man, 
and  Lecoq  sprang  to  the  trunk. 

Ah !  there  was  no  denying  it.  It  had,  indeed,  come 
from  Leipsic ;  the  little  slips  of  paper  pasted  upon  it  by 
the  different  railroad  companies  proved  it. 

They  opened  it  and  found  the  articles  mentioned  by 
the  prisoner. 

Lecoq  was  petrified.  With  an  almost  stupefied  air 
he  watched  the  commissioner  as  he  locked  everything 
up  in  a  cupboard  and  took  possession  of  the  key ;  then 
he  felt  that  he  could  endure  no  more.  He  left  the 
room  with  downcast  head ;  and  they  heard  him  stumble 
like  a  drunken  man  as  he  descended  the  stairs. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

Mardi  Gras,  or  Shrove  Tuesday,  was  very  gay  that 
year;  that  is  to  say:  the  pawnbrokers'  shops  and  the 
public  halls  were  crowded. 

When  Lecoq  left  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg  about 
midnight,  the  streets  were  as  full  as  if  it  were  noonday, 
and  the  cafes  were  thronged  with  customers. 

But  the  young  man  had  no  heart  for  gayety.  He 
mingled  with  the  crowd  without  seeing  it,  and  jostled 
groups  of  people  chatting  on  the  corners,  without  hear- 
ing the  imprecations  occasioned  by  his  awkwardness. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  201 

Where  was  he  going !  He  had  no  idea.  He  walked 
on  aimlessly,  more  inconsolable  and  desperate  than  the 
gambler  who  has  staked  his  last  hope  with  his  last  louis 
and  lost. 

"  I  must  yield,"  he  murmured ;  "  this  evidence  is  con- 
clusive. My  presumptions  were  only  chimeras ;  my  de- 
ductions, the  playthings  of  chance !  There  only  re- 
mains for  me  now  to  withdraw,  with  the  least  possible 
damage  and  ridicule,  from  the  false  position  I  have  as- 
sumed." 

Just  as  he  reached  the  boulevard,  a  new  idea  entered 
his  brain,  startling  him  so  much  that  he  could  scarcely 
restrain  a  cry. 

"  I  am  a  fool,"  he  exclaimed,  striking  his  hand  vio- 
lently against  his  forehead. 

"  Is  it  possible,"  he  continued,  "  that  I  am  so  strong 
in  theory,  yet  so  ridiculously  weak  in  practice  ?  Ah !  I 
am  only  a  child,  yet  a  novice,  disheartened  by  the  slight- 
est obstacle.  I  meet  some  difficulty.  I  lose  courage  and 
even  the  power  to  reason. 

"  Now,  let  me  reflect  calmly. 

"  What  did  I  tell  the  judge  about  this  man,  whose 
plan  of  defence  so  puzzles  us  ? 

"  Did  I  not  tell  him  that  we  had  to  deal  with  a  man 
of  superior  talent — with  a  man  of  consummate  penetra- 
tion, and  experience — a  bold,  courageous  man,  who 
possesses  an  imperturbable  coolness,  and  who  will  do 
anything  to  insure  the  success  of  his  plans  ? 

"  Yes ;  I  told  him  all  this,  and  yet  I  give  up  in  despair 
as  soon  as  I  meet  a  single  circumstance  that  I  cannot 
explain  at  once. 

"  It  is  evident,  then,  that  this  prisoner  would  not  be 
likely  to  resort  to  old  and  hackneyed  methods,  and  com- 
monplace expedients.  Ought  I  not  to  expect  that  it 


202  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

would  require  time,  patience,  and  research  to  find  a  flaw 
in  his  defence? 

"  Consequently,  the  more  appearances  are  against  my 
presumptions,  and  in  favor  of  the  story  told  by  the  pris- 
oner, the  more  certain  it  is  that  I  am  right — or  logic  is 
no  longer  logic." 

The  young  man  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh,  and  added : 

"  But  to  expose  this  theory  at  head-quarters  before 
Gevrol  would  perhaps  be  premature,  and  would  win  me 
a  certificate  entitling  me  to  admission  into  the  lunatic 
asylum." 

He  paused ;  he  had  reached  his  lodgings.  He  rang 
the  bell ;  someone  opened  the  door. 

He  groped  his  way  slowly  up  to  the  fourth  floor ;  he 
reached  his  room,  and  was  about  to  enter,  when  a  voice 
in  the  darkness  called  out : 

"  Is  that  you,  Monsieur  Lecoq?  " 

"It  is  I,"  replied  the  young  man,  somewhat  sur- 
prised ;  "  but  who  are  you  ?  " 

"  I  am  Father  Absinthe." 

"  Upon  my  word !  Well,  you  are  welcome !  I  did 
not  recognize  your  voice — will  you  come  in  ?  " 

They  entered,  and  Lecoq  lit  a  candle.  Then  the 
young  man  could  see  his  colleague,  and,  good  heavens ! 
what  a  condition  he  was  in ! 

He  was  as  dirty  and  spattered  with  mud  as  a  lost  dog 
which  has  been  wandering  about  in  the  rain  and  mire 
for  three  or  four  days.  His  overcoat  bore  traces  of  fre- 
quent contact  with  damp  walls ;  his  hat  had  lost  its 
form  entirely.  His  eyes  were  anxious ;  his  mustache 
drooped  despondently.  He  mumbled  his  words  as  if 
his  mouth  were  full  of  sand. 

"  Do  you  bring  me  bad  news  ?  "  inquired  Lecoq,  after 
a  short  examination  of  his  companion. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  203 

"  Bad." 

"  The  people  you  were  following  escaped  you,  then  ?  " 

The  old  man  nodded  his  head  in  the  affirmative. 

"  It  is  unfortunate — very  unfortunate !  "  said  Lecoq. 
"  But  it  is  useless  to  distress  ourselves  about  it.  Do 
not  be  so  cast  down,  Father  Absinthe.  To-morrow,  be- 
tween us,  we  will  repair  the  damages." 

This  friendly  encouragement  redoubled  the  old  man's 
evident  embarrassment.  He  flushed,  this  veteran,  like 
a  school-girl,  and  raising  his  hands  toward  heaven,  he 
exclaimed : 

"  Ah,  wretch !  did  I  not  tell  you  so  ?  " 

"  Why !  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  "  inquired  Le- 
coq. 

Father  Absinthe  made  no  reply ;  he  approached  the 
mirror  and  began  heaping  the  most  cruel  insults  upon 
the  reflection  of  his  features  therein. 

"  Old  good-for-nothing !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Vile  sol- 
dier! have  you  no  shame  left?  You  were  intrusted 
with  a  mission,  were  you  not?  And  how  have  you  ful- 
filled it?  You  have  drank,  wretch,  until  you  drank 
away  your  senses  like  an  old  sot,  as  you  are.  This 
shall  not  be  passed  over  thus ;  and  even  if  Monsieur 
Lecoq  forgives  me,  you  shall  not  taste  another  drop  for 
a  week.  You  shall  suffer  for  this  escapade." 

"  Come,  come,"  said  Lecoq,  "  you  can  sermonize  by- 
and-by.  Now  tell  me  your  story." 

"  Ah !  I  am  not  proud  of  it.  I  beg  you  to  believe  that ; 
but  never  mind.  Doubtless  you  received  the  letter  in 
which  I  told  you  that  I  was  going  to  follow  the  young 
men  who  seemed  to  recognize  Gustave  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes — go  on !  " 

"  Well,  as  soon  as  they  entered  the  cafe,  into  which 
I  had  followed  them,  the  young  men  began  drinking, 


204  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

probably  to  drive  away  their  emotion.  After  drinking, 
hunger  apparently  seized  them,  for  they  ordered  break- 
fast. In  my  corner  I  followed  their  example.  The  re- 
past, the  coffee  and  beer  all  took  time.  Two  hours 
elapsed  before  they  were  ready  to  pay  their  bill  and  go. 
Good !  I  supposed  they  would  now  return  to  their 
homes — not  at  all.  They  walked  down  the  Rue  Dau- 
phin ;  and  I  saw  them  enter  a  coffee-house  or  smoking- 
room.  Five  minutes  later  I  glided  in  after  them ;  they 
were  already  engaged  in  a  game  of  billiards." 

He  hesitated ;  it  was  not  easy  to  tell  the  rest  of  his 
story. 

"  I  seated  myself  at  a  little  table,  and  asked  for  a 
newspaper.  I  was  reading  with  one  eye,  and  watching 
them  with  the  other,  when  a  worthy  bourgeois  entered, 
and  took  a  seat  beside  me.  As  soon  as  he  had  seated 
himself  he  asked  me  to  give  him  the  paper  when  I  had 
finished  reading  it.  I  handed  it  to  him,  and  then  we  be- 
gan talking  of  the  weather.  At  last  he  proposed  a  game 
of  bezique.  I  declined,  and  we  afterward  compro- 
mised on  a  game  of  piquet.  The  young  men,  you 
understand,  were  still  knocking  the  balls  about.  We 
began  playing,  the  stakes,  a  glass  of  brandy  for  each. 
I  won.  The  bourgeois  demanded  his  revenge,  and  we 
played  two  more  games.  Still  I  won.  He  insisted 
upon  another  game,  and  again  I  won,  and  still  I  drank 
— and  drank  again " 

"  Go  on,  go  on." 

"  Ah,  here  is  the  rub.  After  that  I  can  remember 
nothing — neither  of  the  bourgeois  nor  of  the  young  men. 
It  seems  to  me,  however,  that  I  recollect  falling  asleep 
in  the  cafe,  and  a  waiter  coming  to  wake  me  and  tell  me 
to  go.  Then  I  must  have  wandered  about  on  the  quays 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  205 

until  I  came  to  my  senses,  and  decided  to  come  and  wait 
upon  your  stairs  until  you  returned." 

To  the  great  surprise  of  Father  Absinthe,  Lecoq 
seemed  rather  thoughtful  than  angry. 

"  What  do  you  think  about  this  bourgeois,  papa  ?  "  in- 
quired Lecoq. 

"  I  think  that  he  was  following  me  while  I  was  fol- 
lowing the  others,  and  that  he  entered  the  cafe  with  the 
intention  of  getting  me  intoxicated." 

"  Give  me  a  description  of  him." 

"  He  was  a  tall  and  rather  stout  man,  with  a  broad, 
red  face,  a  flat  nose ;  and  he  was  very  unpretending  and 
affable  in  manner." 

"  It  was  he !  "  exclaimed  Lecoq. 

"He!    Who?" 

"  The  accomplice — the  man  whose  footprints  we  dis' 
covered — the  pretended  drunkard — a  devil  incarnate, 
who  will  get  the  best  of  us  yet,  if  we  do  not  keep  our 
eyes  open.  Do  not  forget  him,  papa ;  and  if  you  ever 
meet  him  again " 

But  Father  Absinthe's  confession  was  not  ended. 
Like  most  devotees,  he  had  reserved  the  worst  sin  for 
the  last. 

"  This  is  not  all,"  he  resumed ;  "  and  I  wish  to  conceal 
nothing  from  you.  It  seems  to  me  that  this  traitor 
talked  with  me  about  the  affair  at  the  Poivriere,  and 
that  I  told  him  all  that  we  had  discovered,  and  all  that 
we  intended  to  do." 

Lecoq  made  such  a  threatening  gesture  that  the  old 
man  drew  back  in  consternation. 

"  Wretched  man !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  to  betray  our 
plans  to  the  enemy !  " 

But  he  soon  regained  his  calmness.  At  first  the  evil 
seemed  to  be  beyond  remedy;  then  he  discovered  that 


206  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

it  had  a  good  side,  after  all.  It  removed  all  the  doubts 
he  had  felt  after  his  visit  to  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg. 
"  But  this  is  not  the  time  for  deliberation,"  resumed 
the  young  detective.  "  I  am  overcome  with  fatigue ; 
take  a  mattress  from  the  bed  for  yourself,  my  friend, 
and  let  us  go  to  rest." 

CHAPTER  XXV 

Lecoq  was  a  thoughtful  man.  Before  going  to  bed 
he  took  good  care  to  wind  an  alarm-clock  that  stood  in 
his  room,  setting  the  alarm  at  six  o'clock. 

"  So  that  we  shall  not  miss  the  coach,"  he  remarked 
to  his  companion,  as  he  blew  out  the  candle. 

But  he  had  not  made  allowance  for  his  extreme  weari- 
ness, and  for  the  fumes  of  alcohol  with  which  his 
friend's  breath  was  redolent. 

When  the  clock  of  Saint  Eustache  pealed  forth  the 
hour  of  six  the  alarm-clock  performed  its  duty  faith- 
fully ;  but  the  shrill  sound  of  the  ingenious  mechanism 
was  not  sufficiently  loud  to  disturb  the  heavy  sleep  of  the 
two  men. 

They  would  probably  have  slept  some  time  longer, 
if,  at  half-past  seven  o'clock,  two  vigorous  blows  of 
the  fist  had  not  resounded  on  their  door. 

With  one  bound  Lecoq  was  out  of  bed,  amazed  at 
seeing  the  bright  sunlight,  and  furious  at  the  useless- 
ness  of  his  precautions. 

"  Come  in !  "  he  cried  to  his  early  visitor. 

The  young  detective  had  no  enemies  at  that  time,  and 
he  could,  without  danger,  sleep  with  his  door  un- 
locked. 

The  door  opened,  and  the  shrewd  face  of  Father 
Papillon  appeared. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  207 

"  Ah !  it  is  my  worthy  coachman !  "  exclaimed  Lecoq. 
"  Is  there  anything  new  ?  " 

"  Excuse  me,  friend ;  it  is  the  old  cause  that  brings  me 
here.  You  know — the  thirty  francs  those  wretched 
women  paid  me — I  shall  not  sleep  in  peace  till  I  have 
carried  you  free,  until  your  regular  fare  would  be  equal 
to  that  amount.  You  made  use  of  my  carriage  yester- 
day, one  hundred  sous'  worth,  and  so  I  still  owe  you 
twenty-five  francs'  worth  of  riding." 

"  This  is  all  nonsense,  my  friend !  " 

"  Possibly ;  but  I  am  responsible  for  it.  I  have  sworn 
if  you  will  not  use  my  carriage  to  station  myself  and  my 
vehicle  before  your  door  for  eleven  hours.  At  two 
francs  and  twenty-five  centimes  an  hour,  eleven  hours 
would  release  me  from  my  indebtedness.  We  should  be 
even.  Now,  make  up  your  mind." 

He  gazed  at  Lecoq  beseechingly ;  it  was  evident  that 
a  refusal  would  wound  him  keenly. 

"  Very  well,"  replied  Lecoq ;  "  I  will  take  your  car- 
riage for  the  morning,  only  I  ought  to  warn  you  that  we 
are  starting  on  a  long  journey." 

"  Cocotle's  legs  may  be  relied  upon." 

"  My  companion  and  myself  have  business  in  your 
quarter  of  the  city.  It  is  absolutely  necessary  for  us 
to  find  the  Widow  Chupin's  daughter-in-law;  and  I 
hope  we  shall  be  able  to  obtain  her  address  from  the 
commissioner  of  that  district." 

"  Verj  well,  we  will  go  wherever  you  wish ;  I  am  at 
your  orders." 

A  few  moments  later  they  were  on  their  way. 

Papillon,  proudly  erect  upon  his  box,  cracked  his 
whip;  and  the  vehicle  tore  along  as  rapidly  as  if  the 
driver  had  been  promised  a  hundred  sous  as  pourboire. 

Father  Absinthe  alone  was  sad.     He  had  been  for- 


208  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

given,  but  he  could  not  forgive  himself  that  he,  an  old 
policeman,  should  have  been  duped  like  some  ignorant 
provincial.  If  only  he  had  not  confided  the  secret  plans 
of  the  prosecution ! 

He  knew  but  too  well  that  by  this  act  he  had  increased 
the  difficulties  of  their  task  twofold. 

Their  long  drive  was  not  fruitless.  The  secretary  of 
the  commissioner  of  police  for  the  thirteenth  district  in- 
formed Lecoq  that  the  wife  of  Polyte  Chupin,  with  her 
child,  lived  in  the  suburbs,  in  the  Rue  de  la  Butte-aux- 
Cailles.  He  could  not  tell  the  precise  number;  but  he 
described  the  house,  and  gave  them  some  information 
concerning  its  occupants. 

The  Widow  Chupin's  daughter-in-law  was  a  native  of 
Auvergne ;  and  she  had  been  bitterly  punished  for  pre- 
ferring a  Parisian  to  a  compatriot. 

She  came  to  Paris  when  about  twelve  years  of  age, 
and  obtained  employment  in  a  large  factory.  At  the 
end  of  ten  years  of  privation  and  constant  toil,  she  had 
amassed,  penny  by  penny,  the  sum  of  three  thousand 
francs.  Then  her  evil  genius  threw  Polyte  Chupin  in 
her  path. 

She  fell  in  love  with  this  dissipated  and  selfish  rascal ; 
and  he  married  her  for  her  little  hoard. 

As  long  as  the  money  lasted,  that  is,  for  about  three 
or  four  months,  everything  went  on  pleasantly.  But  as 
soon  as  the  last  shilling  was  gone,  Polyte  left  her,  and, 
with  delight,  resumed  his  former  life  of  idleness,  thiev- 
ing, and  debauchery. 

After  this  he  returned  to  his  wife,  only  in  order  to 
steal  from  her,  when  he  suspected  that  she  had  saved 
a  little  money.  And,  periodically,  she  uncomplainingly 
allowed  him  to  despoil  her  of  the  last  penny  of  her  earn- 
ings. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  209 

He  wished  to  degrade  her  still  more,  for  he  hungered 
even  for  the  price  of  her  shame ;  but  she  resisted. 

By  this  resistance,  she  had  excited  the  hatred  of  the 
old  Widow  Chupin — hatred  which  manifested  itself  in 
such  ill-treatment  that  the  poor  woman  was  forced  to 
flee  one  night,  with  only  the  rags  that  covered  her. 

The  mother  and  the  son  believed,  perhaps,  that  star- 
vation would  effect  what  their  threats  and  counsel  had 
failed  to  accomplish. 

Their  shameful  expectations  had  not  been  gratified. 

The  secretary  added  that  these  facts  had  become 
widely  known,  and  that  everybody  did  justice  to  the 
worth  of  the  brave  woman. 

Hence  the  sobriquet  which  had  been  given  her — 
Toinon,  the  virtuous — a  rather  coarse,  but  sincere 
tribute  to  her  worth. 

Grateful  for  this  information,  Lecoq  re-entered  the 
carriage. 

The  Rue  de  la  Butte-aux-Cailles,  to  which  Papillon 
was  rapidly  conducting  them,  did  not  bear  much  re- 
semblance to  the  Boulevard  Maxelherbes.  Was  it  the 
abode  of  millionnaires  ?  One  would  not  suppose  it. 
One  thing  is  certain,  however:  all  the  inhabitants 
knew  one  another  as  they  do  in  a  village,  and  the  first 
person  of  whom  Lecoq  asked  information  concerning 
Mme.  Polyte  Chupin,  relieved  him  of  all  embarrass- 
ment. 

"  Toinon,  the  virtuous,  lives  in  that  house  on  the 
right,"  was  the  answer ;  "  on  the  upper  floor,  the  door 
facing  you." 

The  directions  were  so  precise  that  Lecoq  and  Father 
Absinthe  went  straight  to  the  room  they  were  seeking. 

It  was  a  cold  and  gloomy  attic  room,  of  medium  size, 
and  lighted  by  a  small  skylight. 


210  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

A  pallet  of  straw,  a  broken  table,  two  chairs,  and  a 
few  plain  kitchen  utensils,  formed  the  sole  furniture  of 
the  apartment. 

But,  in  spite  of  the  evident  poverty,  everything  shone 
with  neatness ;  and  one  could  have  eaten  off  the  floor, 
to  use  Father  Absinthe's  forcible  expression. 

The  two  officers  entered,  and  found  a  woman  en- 
gaged in  making  heavy  linen  sacks.  She  was  seated  in 
the  centre  of  the  room,  directly  under  the  window,  so 
that  the  light  would  fall  upon  her  work. 

At  the  sight  of  two  strangers,  she  half  rose,  sur- 
prised, and  perhaps  a  little  frightened;  but  when  they 
explained  that  they  desired  a  few  moments'  conversa- 
tion with  her,  she  gave  up  her  own  seat,  to  offer  it  to 
them. 

But  Father  Absinthe  insisted  that  she  should  sit  down 
again,  and  he  remained  standing,  while  Lecoq  took 
possession  of  the  other  chair. 

In  a  single  glance  Lecoq  took  an  inventory  of  the 
humble  abode,  and,  so  to  speak,  appraised  the  woman. 

She  was  short,  stout,  and  extremely  ordinary  in  ap- 
pearance. A  forest  of  coarse,  black  hair,  growing  very 
low  on  the  forehead,  and  large  black  eyes  set  very  close 
together,  imparted  to  her  countenance  something  of  the 
patient  resignation  one  sees  in  the  faces  of  ill-treated 
animals. 

Possibly,  in  former  days,  she  had  possessed  what  we 
called  the  beauty  du  diable;  but  now  she  looked  almost 
as  old  as  her  mother-in-law. 

Sorrow  and  privation,  excessive  toil,  nights  spent  in 
labor,  tears  and  the  blows  she  had  received,  had  made 
her  complexion  livid — had  reddened  her  eyes  and  made 
deep  furrows  about  her  temples. 

Still  her  whole  person  exhaled  a  perfume  of  native 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  211 

honesty  which  had  not  been  tainted,  even  by  the  foul  at- 
mosphere in  which  she  had  lived. 

Her  child  did  not  resemble  her  in  the  least.  He  was 
pale  and  puny  in  appearance ;  his  eyes  burned  with  a 
phosphorescent  brilliancy;  and  his  hair  was  of  that 
faded  yellow  tint  that  they  call  blonde  in  Paris. 

One  little  circumstance  attracted  the  attention  of  both 
officers. 

The  mother  was  attired  in  a  very  old  and  faded  calico 
dress ;  but  the  child  was  warmly  clad  in  warm  woollen 
material. 

"  Madame,  you  have  doubtless  heard  of  a  great  crime, 
committed  in  your  mother-in-law's  establishment,"  be- 
gan Lecoq,  gently. 

"  Alas !  yes,  Monsieur." 

Then  she  quickly  added : 

"  But  my  husband  could  not  have  been  implicated  in 
it,  since  he  is  in  prison." 

Did  not  this  objection,  which  preceded  suspicion,  be- 
tray the  most  horrible  apprehensions  ? 

"  Yes,  I  am  aware  of  that,"  replied  her  visitor. 
"  Polyte  was  arrested  a  fortnight  ago " 

"  Yes,  and  very  unjustly,  Monsieur.  I  could  swear  it. 
He  was,  as  is  often  the  case,  led  astray  by  his  compan- 
ions, wicked,  desperate  men.  He  is  so  weak  when  he  has 
taken  a  glass  of  wine,  they  can  do  whatsoever  they  will 
with  him.  If  he  were  only  left  to  himself,  he  would  not 
harm  a  child.  One  has  only  to  look  at  him " 

As  she  spoke  she  turned  her  red  and  swollen  eyes  to 
a  miserable  photograph  hanging  upon  the  wall.  The 
picture  represented  a  frightfully  ugly,  dissipated-look- 
ing young  man,  with  a  terrible  squint,  a  repulsive 
mouth,  only  partially  concealed  by  a  faint  mustache, 


2i2  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

and  his  hair  carefully  plastered  down  about  the  tem- 
ples. This  was  Polyte. 

Yet  there  was  no  mistaking  the  fact  that  this  unfort- 
unate woman  loved  him — had  always  loved  him ;  be- 
sides, he  was  her  husband. 

A  moment's  silence  followed  this  act,  which  revealed 
the  existence  of  passion  so  clearly ;  and  during  this  si- 
lence the  door  of  the  room  was  opened  softly. 

A  man  put  in  his  head  and  withdrew  it  instantly,  with 
a  low  exclamation.  Then  the  door  closed  again,  the  key 
grated  in  the  lock,  and  they  heard  hurried  steps  de- 
scending the  staircase. 

Lecoq  was  sitting  with  his  back  to  the  door,  and  could 
not  see  the  face  of  the  visitor. 

And  yet  he  had  turned  so  quickly  at  the  sound,  and  he 
understood  the  whole  affair  so  well  that  he  was  not  sur- 
prised at  all. 

Indeed,  he  did  not  feel  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 

"  It  is  he,  the  accomplice !  "  he  cried. 

Thanks  to  his  position,  Father  Absinthe  had  seen  the 
man's  face. 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  yes,  I  recognize  the  man  who  made 
me  drink  with  him  yesterday." 

With  a  bound  the  two  men  threw  themselves  against 
the  door,  exhausting  their  strength  in  vain  efforts  to 
open  it.  It  resisted  all  their  attempts,  for  it  was  of  solid 
oak,  having  been  purchased  by  the  proprietor  of  the 
house  from  some  one  of  the  public  buildings  in  process 
of  demolition,  and  it  was  furnished  with  a  strong  and 
massive  fastening. 

"  Help  us !  "  cried  Father  Absinthe  to  the  woman,  who 
stood  petrified  with  astonishment ;  "  give  us  an  iron 
bar,  a  piece  of  iron,  a  nail — anything !  " 

The  younger  man  was  making  frantic  efforts  to  push 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  213 

back  the  bolt,  or  to  tear  the  lock  from  the  wood.  He  was 
wild  with  rage. 

At  last  they  succeeded  in  forcing  it  open,  and  the  two 
men,  animated  by  an  equal  ardor,  dashed  out  in  pur- 
suit of  their  mysterious  adversary. 

When  they  reached  the  street,  they  made  inquiries  of 
the  bystanders.  They  could  give  a  description  of  the 
man,  and  that  was  something.  Two  persons  had  seen 
him  enter  the  house  of  Toinon,  the  virtuous;  a  third 
had  seen  him  when  he  ran  out.  Some  children  who  were 
playing  on  the  street  assured  them  that  this  individual 
had  run  in  the  direction  of  the  Rue  du  Moulin-des-Pres 
as  fast  as  his  legs  could  carry  him. 

It  was  in  this  street,  near  the  corner  of  the  Rue  de  la 
Butte-aux-Cailles,  that  Lecoq  had  ordered  his  coachman 
to  stop. 

"  Let  us  hasten  there !  "  proposed  Father  Absinthe ; 
"  perhaps  Papillon  can  give  us  some  information." 

But  his  companion  shook  his  head  despondently,  and 
would  go  no  further. 

"  What  good  would  it  do  ?  "  he  asked.  "  The  pres- 
ence of  mind  that  made  this  man  think  to  turn  the  key, 
has  saved  him.  He  is  at  least  ten  minutes  in  advance  of 
us ;  by  this  time  he  is  far  away,  and  we  should  not  over- 
take him." 

Father  Absinthe  was  livid  with  anger.  He  now  re- 
garded as  a  personal  enemy  this  adroit  accomplice  who 
had  so  cruelly  duped  him ;  and  he  would  have  given  a 
month's  pay  to  be  able  to  lay  his  hand  on  the  man's  col- 
lar. 

"  Ah !  this  brigand  does  not  lack  assurance,"  said 
he.  "  To  think  how  he  defies  and  mocks  us ;  and  how 
for  the  third  time  he  has  escaped  us.  Three  times !  " 

The  young  detective  was  at  least  as  angry  as  his  com- 


2i4  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

panion — and  his  vanity  was  wounded  besides;  but  he 
felt  the  necessity  of  coolness  and  deliberation. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  thoughtfully,  "  the  man  is  daring 
and  shrewd ;  and  he  does  not  sit  down  with  folded  arms. 
If  we  are  working,  he  also  is  bestirring  himself.  The 
demon  is  everywhere.  On  whichever  side  I  make  an  at- 
tack, I  find  him  on  the  defensive.  It  was  he,  my  friend, 
who  made  you  lose  the  clew  to  Gustave's  identity;  it 
was  he  who  arranged  that  little  comedy  at  the  Hotel  du 
Mariembourg." 

"  And  now,"  remarked  his  companion,  "  now  let  the 
general  come  and  tell  us  that  we  are  chasing  phan- 
toms." 

This  flattery,  delicate  as  it  was,  did  not  divert  Lecoq's 
attention  from  the  matter  under  consideration. 

"  Until  now,  this  man  has  been  in  advance  of  us  every- 
where ;  this  fact  explains  the  failures  that  have  attended 
all  my  efforts.  Here,  we  arrived  before  him.  But  if  he 
came  here,  it  was  because  he  scented  danger.  There- 
fore, we  may  hope.  Let  us  return  to  the  wife  of  this  ras- 
cal, Polyte." 

Alas !  poor  Toinon,  the  virtuous,  did  not  understand 
this  affair.  She  had  remained  upstairs,  holding  her 
child  by  the  hand,  and  leaning  over  the  bannister,  her 
eyes  and  her  ears  on  the  qui  vive. 

As  soon  as  she  perceived  the  two  men  leisurely  as- 
cending the  stairs,  she  came  to  meet  them. 

"  In  the  name  of  Heaven,  what  does  all  this  mean  ?  " 
she  exclaimed.  "  What  has  happened  ?  " 

But  Lecoq  was  not  the  man  to  tell  his  affairs  in  a 
corridor,  tapestried,  perhaps,  with  listening  and  curious 
ears,  and  it  was  not  until  he  had  made  Toinon  enter 
her  own  apartment  and  close  the  door  securely,  that  he 
answered  her. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  215 

"  We  started  in  pursuit  of  an  accomplice  to  the  mur- 
ders at  the  Poivriere.  He  came  in,  hoping  to  find  you 
alone,  but  our  presence  frightened  him." 

"  An  assassin !  "  faltered  Toinon,  with  clasped  hands. 
"  What  could  he  want  of  me  ?  " 

"  Who  can  say  ?  It  is  very  probable  that  he  is  one  of 
your  husband's  friends." 

"  Oh !  Monsieur." 

"  What,  did  you  not  tell  me  just  now  that  Polyte  had 
some  very  undesirable  acquaintance?  But  do  not  be 
alarmed ;  this  does  not  compromise  him  in  the  least.  Be- 
sides, you  can  very  easily  clear  him  of  all  suspicion." 

"  How  ?    In  what  way  ?   Oh,  tell  me  at  once." 

"  Merely  by  answering  me  frankly,  and  by  assisting 
me — you,  who  are  an  honest  woman — to  find  the  guilty 
party.  Among  all  the  friends  of  your  husband,  do  you 
know  of  none  capable  of  such  a  deed?  Give  me  the 
names  of  his  acquaintances." 

The  poor  woman's  hesitation  was  evident ;  undoubt- 
edly she  had  been  present  at  many  sinister  cabals,  and 
had  been  threatened  with  terrible  punishment  if  she 
dared  to  disclose  their  plans. 

"  You  have  nothing  to  fear,"  said  Lecoq,  encour- 
agingly, "  and  never,  I  promise  you,  shall  anyone  know 
1  that  you  have  told  me  a  word.  And  very  probably  you 
can  tell  me  nothing  that  I  do  riot  know  now.  I  have 
heard  much  of  your  life  already,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
brutality  with  which  you  have  been  treated  by  Polyte 
and  his  mother. 

"  My  husband,  sir,  has  never  treated  me  brutally," 
said  the  young  woman,  indignantly ;  "  besides,  that  is 
something  which  concerns  only  myself." 

"  And  your  mother-in-law  ?  " 


2i6  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  She  is,  perhaps,  a  trifle  quick-tempered ;  but,  in 
reality,  she  has  a  very  good  heart." 

"  Then  why  did  you  flee  from  the  Widow  Chupin's 
house,  if  you  were  so  very  happy  there  ?  " 

Toinon,  the  virtuous,  turned  scarlet  to  the  very  roots 
of  her  hair. 

"  I  left  there  for  other  reasons,"  she  responded. 
"  There  were  always  a  great  many  intoxicated  men 
about  the  house;  and,  sometimes,  when  I  was  alone, 
some  of  them  wished  to  carry  their  pleasantry  too  far. 
You  will  probably  say  that  I  have  a  very  solid  fist,  and 
that  I  am  quite  capable  of  protecting  myself.  That  is 
true,  so  I  could,  perhaps,  have  borne  it.  But  when  I 
was  away,  some  of  them  were  wicked  enough  to  make 
this  child  drink  to  such  an  excess  that  on  my  return  I 
found  him  as  stiff  and  cold  as  if  he  were  dead.  It  was 
necessary  to  call  a  physician  to  restore  him " 

She  suddenly  paused ;  her  eyes  dilated.  From  red  she 
turned  livid,  and  in  a  choked,  unnatural  voice,  she  cried : 

"  Toto !  wretched  child !  " 

Lecoq  looked  behind  him,  and  shuddered.  He  under- 
stood it  all.  This  child  who  was  not  yet  five  years  old, 
had  stolen  up  behind  him  and  was  ferreting  in  the 
pockets  of  his  overcoat,  had  plundered  them,  had 
rifled  them  of  their  contents. 

"  Ah,  well — yes !  "  exclaimed  the  unfortunate  mother, 
bursting  into  tears.  "  It  was  always  so  over  there.  As 
soon  as  the  child  was  out  of  my  sight,  they  took  him  to 
the  city.  They  carried  him  into  the  crowded  streets,  and 
they  taught  him  to  pick  people's  pockets,  and  to  bring 
them  all  he  could  find.  If  he  was  detected  they  were 
angry  with  the  child,  and  beat  him.  If  he  succeeded  they 
gave  him  a  sou  to  buy  candy,  and  kept  what  he  had 
taken." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  217 

She  hid  her  face  in  her  hands,  and  in  an  almost  unin- 
telligible voice  she  sobbed : 

"  And  I  did  not  wish  my  little  one  to  be  a  thief !  " 

But  what  this  poor  creature  did  not  tell  was  that  he 
who  had  led  the  child  out  into  the  streets,  to  teach  him 
to  steal,  was  its  own  father,  and  her  husband,  Polyte 
Chupin.  But  the  two  men  understood  this  perfectly ; 
and  so  horrible  was  the  man's  crime,  and  so  despairing 
the  grief  of  the  woman,  that  they  were  touched  in  the 
very  depths  of  their  souls. 

After  that,  Lecoq's  only  thought  was  to  shorten  the 
painful  scene  as  much  as  possible.  Besides,  the  poor 
mother's  emotion  was  a  sufficient  guarantee  of  her  sin- 
cerity. 

"Listen,"  said  he,  with  affected  harshness ;  "  two 
questions  only,  and  then  I  will  leave  you.  Among  the 
habitues  of  the  establishment  was  there  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Gustave  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  I  am  very  sure  there  was  not." 

"  Very  well.  But  Lacheneur — you  must  know  Lache- 
neur!" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  know  him." 

The  young  policeman  could  not  repress  an  exclama- 
tion of  delight.  He  thought  that  he  at  least  held  an 
end  of  the  thread  that  would  lead  him  to  the  light — to 
the  truth. 

"  Who  is  this  man  ? "  he  inquired,  with  intense 
anxiety. 

"  Oh !  he  is  not  at  all  like  the  other  men  who  come  to 
drink  at  my  mother-in-law's  saloon.  I  have  seen  him 
only  once;  but  I  remember  him  perfectly.  It  was  on 
Sunday.  He  was  in  a  carriage.  He  stopped  near  the 
unoccupied  ground  and  spoke  to  Polyte.  When  he  went 
away  my  husband  said  to  me : '  Do  you  see  that  old  man 


218  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

there  ?  he  will  make  our  fortune.'    I  thought  him  a  very 

respectable-looking  gentleman " 

"  That  is  enough,"  interrupted  Lecoq.  "  Now  it  is 
necessary  for  you  to  appear  before  the  judge  and  make 
your  deposition.  I  have  a  carriage  below.  Take  your 
child  with  you,  if  you  wish;  but  make  haste;  come 
quickly — come !  " 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

M.  Segmuller  was  one  of  those  magistrates  who  cher- 
ish their  profession  with  an  undivided  love,  who  give 
themselves  to  it,  body  and  soul,  devoting  to  it  all  the 
energy,  intelligence,  and  sagacity  of  which  they  are 
possessed. 

As  a  judge,  he  displayed,  in  the  search  after  truth, 
the  tenacity  and  zeal  of  a  physician  struggling  against 
some  unknown  disease — the  enthusiasm  of  the  artist 
who  is  wearing  out  his  very  life  in  his  devotion  to  the 
beautiful. 

Hence,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  deeply  he  had 
become  interested  in  this  mysterious  case  which  had 
been  confided  to  him. 

He  found  in  it  all  the  elements  that  cannot  fail  to 
awaken  intense  interest.  The  magnitude  of  the  crime, 
the  peculiar  circumstances  attending  it,  the  impenetra- 
ble mystery  that  enshrouded  the  victims  and  the  mur- 
derer, the  strange  attitude  assumed  by  the  prisoner,  all 
served  to  make  a  profound  impression  upon  his  mind. 

The  romantic  element  was  not  lacking,  furnished  by 
the  two  women,  all  traces  of  whom  had  been  lost. 

The  extreme  uncertainty  of  the  result  was  another 
attraction.  Self-love  never  loses  its  rights;  and  M. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  219 

Segmuller  felt  that  success  would  be  honorable  in  pro- 
portion to  the  magnitude  of  the  difficulties  to  be  over- 
come. And  assisted  by  such  a  man  as  Lecoq,  in  whom 
he  had  recognized  a  most  valuable  auxiliary,  and  a  man 
with  a  positive  genius  for  his  calling,  he  felt  quite  con- 
fident of  success. 

Even  after  the  fatiguing  labors  of  the  day  he  did  not 
think  of  freeing  himself  from  the  burden  of  his  respon- 
sibility, or  of  driving  away  care  until  the  morrow. 

He  ate  his  dinner  hurriedly,  and  as  soon  as  he  had , 
swallowed  his  coffee  began  to  study  the  case  with  re- 
newed ardor. 

He  had  brought  with  him  from  his  office  a  copy  of 
the  prisoner's  deposition ;  and  he  went  over  it  again  and 
again,  seeking  some  weak  spot  that  might  be  attacked 
with  a  probability  of  success. 

He  analyzed  each  answer,  and  weighed  one  expres- 
sion after  another.  He  sought  some  flaw  in  the  armor 
through  which  he  could  slip  a  question,  which  would 
rend  the  whole  structure  of  defence  in  pieces,  like  a  train 
of  gunpowder. 

The  greater  part  of  the  night  was  spent  in  this  work; 
but  that  did  not  prevent  him  from  rising  long  before 
his  usual  hour. 

By  eight  o'clock  he  was  dressed,  and  shaved,  had  ar- 
ranged his  papers,  taken  his  cup  of  chocolate,  and  was 
on  his  way  to  the  palace. 

He  quite  forgot  that  the  impatience,  which  pos- 
sessed him,  was  not  boiling  in  the  veins  of  others.  But 
he  soon  discovered  that  fact. 

The  Palais  de  Justice  was  scarcely  awake  when  he  ar- 
rived there.  All  the  doors  had  not  been  opened.  In 
the  corridors  some  of  the  door-keepers  and  a  crowd  of 


240  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

sleepy  office-boys  were  changing  their  ordinary  cloth- 
ing for  their  official  costumes. 

Others,  in  their  shirt-sleeves,  were  vigorously  sweep- 
ing and  dusting  the  various  rooms.  Others  were  stand- 
ing at  the  windows  of  the  dressing-room  shaking  and 
brushing  the  long  black  robes  of  the  lawyers.  In  the 
court-room  some  clerks  were  chaffing  each  other,  while 
they  awaited  the  coming  of  the  chief  clerk,  and  the  open- 
ing of  the  bureaus  of  information. 

M.  Segmuller  went  to  consult  the  attorney-general; 
or  the  procureitr  imperial,  as  he  is  called  in  France,  but 
his  office  was  empty.  No  one  had,  as  yet,  arrived. 

Angry  and  impatient,  he  returned  to  his  own  office; 
and  with  his  eyes  fastened  upon  the  pendulum,  caught 
himself  wondering  at  the  slowness  of  its  movements. 

About  ten  minutes  past  nine,  Coquet,  the  smiling 
clerk,  made  his  appearance,  and  was  greeted  with  a 
gruff  "  Well !  so  you  have  come  at  last,"  that  left  him 
in  no  doubt  as  to  the  state  of  his  master's  humor. 

Yet  Coquet  had  come  much  earlier  than  usual,  for 
his  movements  also  had  been  quickened  by  curiosity. 

He  tried  to  make  some  excuse,  but  M.  Segmuller  cut 
it  short,  with  such  a  curt  response,  that  he  felt  no  desire 
to  continue  the  conversation.  "  Ah !  "  he  thought,  "  it 
is  very  evident  that  the  wind  is  blowing  from  a  bad  cor- 
ner this  morning." 

And  so,  bowing  before  the  storm,  he  philosophically 
put  on  his  black  silk  sleeves,  went  to  his  little  table,  and 
pretended  to  be  absorbed  in  the  task  of  cutting  his  pens 
and  preparing  his  paper. 

But  although  he  dared  not  show  it  he  was  very  much 
vexed.  For  the  evening  before,  while  conversing  with 
his  wife,  he  had  gained  some  new  ideas  in  regard  to  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  221 

mysterious  prisoner;  and  he  was  eager  to  impart  them 
to  the  judge. 

But  no  favorable  opportunity  presented  itself.  M. 
Segmuller,  who  was  usually  calmness  personified,  and 
dignity  par  excellence,  was  transformed.  He  paced 
restlessly  to  and  fro,  he  sat  down,  he  sprang  up,  he  ges- 
ticulated wildly,  and  seemed  unable  to  be  quiet  for  a 
moment. 

"  The  prosecution  is  evidently  making  no  headway," 
thought  the  clerk.  "  May's  prospects  are  encourag- 
ing." 

At  that  moment  this  idea  delighted  him;  he  sided 
with  the  prisoner,  his  rancor  was  so  intense. 

From  half  past  nine  to  ten  o'clock  M.  Segmuller  rang 
for  his  messenger  at  least  five  times,  and  each  time  he 
asked  him  the  same  questions. 

"  Are  you  sure  that  Monsieur  Lecoq  has  not  been 
here  this  morning?  Inquire!  If  he  has  not  been  here 
he  must  certainly  have  sent  someone,  or  he  must  have 
written  me." 

Each  time  the  astonished  door-keeper  replied: 

"  No  one  has  been  here,  and  there  is  no  letter." 

The  judge  became  more  and  more  angry  and  impa- 
tient. 

"  It  is  inconceivable!  "  he  murmured.  "  Here  I  am 
upon  coals  of  fire,  and  that  man  dares  to  keep  me  wait- 
ing. Where  can  he  be?  " 

At  last  he  ordered  a  messenger  to  go  and  see  if  he 
could  not  find  Lecoq  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood; 
perhaps  in  some  restaurant  or  coffee-house;  told  him 
to  go  and  find  him  and  bring  him  there  quickly;  very 
quickly. 

When  the  man  had  gone,  M.  Segmuller  seemed  to 
recover  his  composure,  in  a  slight  degree,  at  least. 


222  MONSIEUR  LECOg 

"  We  must  not  lose  valuable  time,"  he  said  to  his 
clerk.  "  I  was  to  examine  the  Widow  Chupin's  son. 
I  had  better  do  so  immediately.  Go  and  tell  them  to 
bring  him  to  me.  Lecoq  left  the  order  at  the  prison." 

In  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour  Polyte  entered  the 
room. 

From  head  to  foot,  from  his  glazed  cap  to  his  gaudy- 
colored  carpet  slippers,  he  was  indeed  the  man  of  thei 
portrait  upon  which  poor  Toinon,  the  virtuous,  had 
lavished  such  loving  glances. 

But  the  picture  was  flattered.  The  photographer 
could  not  fix  the  expression  of  low  cunning  that  was 
imprinted  upon  the  face  of  the  original,  nor  the  impu- 
dence that  breathed  in  his  smile,  nor  the  mingled  cow- 
ardice and  ferocity  of  his  eyes,  which  always  evaded 
you.  Nor  could  the  picture  portray  the  unwholesome, 
livid  pallor  of  his  skin,  the  restless  opening  and  shutting 
of  the  eyelids,  and  the  thin  lips  tightly  drawn  over  the 
short,  sharp  teeth. 

It  would  be  difficult  for  him  to  astonish  those  who 
saw  him  by  any  act  of  violence. 

For  to  see  him,  was  to  judge  and  to  estimate  his 
worth. 

When  he  had  answered  the  preliminary  questions, 
told  the  judge  that  he  was  thirty  years  of  age,  and  that 
he  had  been  born  in  Paris,  he  assumed  a  pretentious 
attitude  and  waited. 

But  before  proceeding  to  the  real  matter  in  hand,  M. 
Segmuller  wished  to  relieve  the  complacent  scoundrel 
of  some  of  his  assurance. 

He  reminded  Polyte,  in  very  forcible  terms,  that  the 
judgment  to  be  rendered  in  the  affair  in  which  he  was 
implicated  would  depend  very  much  upon  his  behavior 
and  his  responses  during  the  present  examination. 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  223 

Polyte  listened  with  a  nonchalant  and  even  ironical 
air. 

In  fact,  he  cared  only  the  merest  trifle  for  the  threat. 
He  had  made  previous  inquiries  and  had  ascertained 
that  it  would  be  impossible  to  condemn  him  to  more 
than  six  months'  imprisonment  for  the  offence  for 
which  he  had  been  arrested;  and  what  did  a  month  more 
or  less  matter  to  him? 

The  judge,  who  read  this  feeling  in  Polyte's  eyes, 
cut  his  discourse  short. 

"Justice  now  demands  some  information  from  you 
concerning  the  habitues  of  your  mother's  establish- 
ment." 

"  There  are  a  great  many  of  them,  M'sieur,"  re- 
sponded Polyte,  in  a  coarse,  harsh  voice. 

"  Do  you  know  one  among  them  by  the  name  of 
Gustave?" 

"  No,  M'sieur." 

To  insist  would  probably  awaken  suspicion  in 
Polyte's  mind,  if  he  was  really  speaking  the  truth ;  so 
M.  Segmuller  continued: 

"  You  must,  however,  remember  Lacheneur?  " 

"  Lacheneur?  It  is  the  first  time  I  have  ever  heard 
that  name." 

"  Take  care.  The  police  have  means  of  finding  out 
a  great  many  things." 

The  scapegrace  did  not  flinch. 

"  I  am  telling  the  truth,  M'sieur,"  he  insisted. 
"  What  interest  could  I  possibly  have  in  deceiving 
you?" 

The  door  opened  suddenly,  and  Toinon,  his  wife,  en- 
tered with  her  child  in  her  arms. 

On  seeing  her  husband,  the  poor  woman  uttered  a 
cry  of  joy,  and  sprang  toward  him.  But  Polyte,  step- 


224  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

ping  back,  bestowed  upon  her  a  terrible  glance  that 
rooted  her  to  the  spot. 

"  It  must  be  my  enemy  who  pretends  that  I  know 
anyone  named  Lacheneur !  I  would  like  to  kill  the  per- 
son who  uttered  such  a  falsehood.  Yes;  kill  the  per- 
son— and  I  will  never  forgive  it." 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

Having  received  orders  to  go  in  search  of  Lecoq  and 
to  bring  him  back,  if  he  succeeded  in  finding  him,  M. 
Segmuller's  messenger  had  started  on  his  errand. 

The  commission  was  not  at  all  disagreeable  to  him; 
it  afforded  him  an  excuse  for  quitting  his  post,  and  also 
a  very  pleasant  little  stroll  through  the  neighborhood. 

He  went  to  the  prefecture  first,  by  the  longest  way, 
however;  but  on  arriving  there,  he  could  find  no  one 
who  had  seen  the  young  detective. 

He  then  strolled  leisurely  through  the  restaurants 
and  through  the  drinking  saloons  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
Palais  de  Justice,  and  living  through  its  patronage. 

Being  a  conscientious  commissioner,  he  entered  each 
of  these  establishments,  and  having  recognized  several 
acquaintances,  he  felt  compelled  to  proffer  and  to  ac- 
cept certain  courtesies  at  the  rate  of  fifty  centimes  per 
glass.  But  no  Lecoq. 

He  was  returning  in  haste,  a  trifle  uneasy  on  account 
of  the  length  of  his  absence,  when  a  carriage  stopped 
before  the  gateway  of  the  palace. 

He  looked  up,  and — oh,  happiness!  from  this  car- 
riage he  saw  Lecoq  descend,  followed  by  Father  Ab- 
sinthe and  the  Widow  Chupin's  daughter-in-law. 

His  serenity  of  mind  was  instantly  restored;  and  it 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  225 

was  in  a  very  important  tone  that  he  delivered  the  order 
for  Lecoq  to  follow  him  without  losing  a  minute. 

"  Monsieur  has  asked  for  you  a  number  of  times," 
said  he.  "  He  has  been  extremely  impatient,  and  he  is 
in  very  bad  humor;  and  you  may  expect  to  have  your 
head  snapped  off  in  the  most  expeditious  manner." 

Lecoq  smiled  as  he  ascended  the  staircase.  Was  he 
not  bringing  with  him  the  most  potent  of  justifications! 
He  was  thinking  of  the  agreeable  surprise  he  had  in 
store  for  the  judge,  and  he  seemed  to  see  the  sudden 
brightening  of  that  functionary's  gloomy  face. 

And  yet  the  message  delivered  by  the  door-keeper, 
and  his  urgent  appeal  that  Lecoq  should  not  loiter  by 
the  way,  was  fated  to  produce  the  most  unfortunate 
results. 

Expected,  as  he  supposed,  and  urged  not  to  delay, 
Lecoq  saw  nothing  wrong  in  opening  the  door  of  M. 
Segmuller's  office  without  knocking,  and  he  obeyed 
the  fatal  impulse  that  impelled  him  to  enter  in  advance 
of  the  poor  woman  whose  testimony  might  be  so  de- 
cisive. 

Stupefaction  seized  him  and  held  him  motionless 
when  he  saw  that  the  judge  was  not  alone,  and  when  he 
recognized,  in  this  witness,  whom  M.  Segmuller  was 
examining,  the  original  of  the  portrait,  Polyte  Chupin. 

Instantly  he  comprehended  his  mistake,  and  its  con- 
sequences. He  did  his  best  to  prevent  any  communi- 
cation, any  interchange  of  thought  between  the  hus- 
band and  wife. 

He  sprang  toward  Toinon,  and,  catching  her  rudely 
by  the  arm,  he  ordered  her  to  leave  the  room  on  the  in- 
stant. 

"  You  cannot  remain  here,"  he  cried ;  "  come,  go ! " 

But  the  poor  creature  was  entirely  overcome,  and 


226  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

trembled  like  a  leaf.  She  could  see  and  hear  nothing 
except  her  husband.  To  behold  again  this  man  whom 
she  adored,  what  happiness!  But  why  did  he  recoil 
from  her?  Why  did  he  cast  such  withering  glances 
upon  her? 

She  tried  to  speak,  to  explain ;  but  while  she  stood 
there  frightened  and  bewildered,  Polyte's  harsh  con- 
demnation pierced  her  brain  like  a  rifle-ball. 

Seeing  this,  Lecoq  seized  her  about  the  waist,  and, 
lifting  her  as  he  would  a  feather,  he  carried  her  out  into 
the  corridor. 

The  whole  scene  had  not  lasted  more  than  a  moment, 
and  M.  Segmuller  was  still  engaged  in  framing  the 
order,  when  he  found  that  the  door  was  already  closed, 
and  that  he  was  again  alone  with  Polyte. 

"Ah,  ha!  "  thought  Coquet,  in  a  flutter  of  delight; 
"  here  is  something  new." 

But  as  these  little  diversions  never  made  him  forget 
his  duties  as  a  clerk,  he  leaned  toward  the  judge  to  ask: 

"  Must  I  take  down  the  last  words  that  were  uttered 
by  the  witness?  " 

"  Certainly,"  responded  M.  Segmuller,  "  and  word 
for  word,  if  you  please." 

He  paused;  the  door  opened  again,  to  admit  the 
door-keeper,  who  timidly,  and  with  a  rather  guilty  air, 
brought  in  a  note,  and  again  withdrew. 

This  note,  scribbled  in  pencil  by  Lecoq  upon  a  leaf 
torn  from  his  memorandum-book,  told  the  judge  the 
name  of  the  woman  who  had  just  entered  his  room,  and 
told  briefly,  but  clearly,  the  information  that  had  just 
been  obtained. 

"  That  boy  thinks  of  everything! "  murmured  M. 
Segmuller, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  227 

The  meaning  of  the  scene  that  had  taken  place  before 
his  eyes  a  moment  previous  was  now  evident. 

He  understood  the  whole. 

He  regretted  most  bitterly  this  unfortunate  meeting. 
But  whom  ought  he  to  blame  for  it?  Himself — himself 
alone;  his  impatience,  his  lack  of  caution,  which,  as 
soon  as  his  messenger  had  departed,  had  induced  him 
to  summon  Polyte  Chupin. 

While  he  could  not  doubt  the  enormous  influence  of 
this  trifling  circumstance,  he  would  not  allow  himself 
to  be  alarmed  by  it,  and  continued  his  task  of  endeavor- 
ing to  elicit  some  information  from  the  sorry  specimen 
before  him. 

"  Let  us  go  on,"  he  said  to  Polyte. 

The  scapegrace  gave  a  careless  sign  of  assent.  Since 
his  wife  had  been  taken  from  the  room  he  had  not 
moved,  and  was  apparently  sublimely  indifferent  to  all 
that  was  passing  around  him. 

"  Was  that  your  wife  who  came  in  just  now?  "  de- 
manded M.  Segmuller. 

"  Yes." 

"  She  wished  to  embrace  you,  and  you  repulsed  her." 

"  I  did  not  repulse  her,  M'sieur." 

"  You  kept  her  at  a  distance;  if  you  had  any  affection, 
you  would  at  least  have  given  a  look  to  your  child, 
which  she  held  out  to  you.  Why  was  it?  " 

"  It  was  not  a  time  for  sentiment." 

"  You  are  not  telling  the  truth.  You  simply  desired 
to  attract  her  attention  while  you  dictated  her  deposi- 
tion." 

"  I — I  dictate  her  deposition!  I  do  not  understand 
you,  M'sieur." 

"  Were  it  not  for  this  supposition,  the  words  you  ut- 
tered would  be  unintelligible." 


228  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"What  words?" 

The  judge  turned  to  his  clerk: 

"  Coquet,"  said  he,  "  read  the  last  remark  you  took 
down,  to  the  witness." 

The  clerk,  in  a  monotonous  voice,  read: 

"  I  would  like  to  kill  the  person  who  dared  to  say  that 
1  knew  Lacheneur." 

"  Eh  bien! "  insisted  M.  Segmuller;  "  what  do  you 
mean  by  that?  " 

"  It  is  very  easy  to  understand,  M'sieur." 

M.  Segmuller  rose. 

"  Enough  of  this  prevaricating!  You  certainly 
ordered  your  wife  to  keep  silence ;  that  fact  is  evident. 
Why  should  you  have  done  this?  and  what  can  she  tell 
us?  Do  you  suppose  that  the  police  are  ignorant  of 
your  relations  with  Lacheneur — of  your  conversation 
with  him  when  he,  in  a  carriage,  and  in  an  unfrequented 
spot,  awaited  your  coming — of  the  hopes  of  fortune 
which  you  based  upon  him?  Be  guided  by  me;  decide 
to  confess  all,. while  there  is  yet  time;  do  not  pursue  a 
course  which  may  lead  you  into  serious  danger.  One 
can  be  an  accomplice  in  more  ways  than  one." 

It  is  certain  that  Polyte's  impudence  and  indifference 
had  received  a  very  severe  shock.  He  seemed  con- 
founded, and  hung  his  head,  muttering  some  unintelli- 
gible response. 

Still,  he  preserved  an  obstinate  silence;  and  the  judge, 
who  had  just  employed  his  strongest  argument,  and  in 
vain,  gave  up  in  despair.  He  rang  the  bell,  and  ordered 
the  guard  to  conduct  the  witness  back  to  prison,  and 
to  take  every  precaution  to  prevent  him  from  seeing  his 
wife  again. 

When  Polyte  had  departed,  Lecoq  reappeared.  He 
was  in  despair. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  229 

"  To  think,"  he  repeated  again  and  again,  "  that  I  did 
not  draw  from  this  woman  all  that  she  knew,  when  it 
could  have  been  done  so  easily.  But  I  thought  that 
you  would  be  waiting  for  me,  Monsieur,  so  I  made 
haste  to  bring  her  here.  I  thought  I  was  acting  for  the 
best " 

"  Never  mind,  the  misfortune  can  be  repaired." 

"  No,  Monsieur,  no ;  we  shall  learn  nothing  more 
from  this  poor  woman.  It  is  impossible  to  extort  a  sin- 
gle word  from  her  since  she  has  seen  her  husband.  She 
loves  him,  with  a  blind  and  foolish  adoration;  and  he 
has  an  all-powerful  influence  over  her.  He  has  ordered 
her  to  be  silent,  and  she  will  be  silent  '  even  unto 
death.'  " 

The  young  man's  fears  were  well  grounded.  M. 
Segmuller  saw  this  only  too  well,  the  instant  Toinon, 
the  virtuous,  again  set  foot  in  his  office. 

The  poor  creature  seemed  nearly  heartbroken.  It 
was  evident  that  she  would  have  given  her  life  to  retract 
the  words  which  had  escaped  her  in  her  attic.  Polyte's 
look  had  made  her  turn  cold  with  horror,  and  had 
aroused  the  most  sinister  apprehensions  in  her  mind. 
Not  understanding  his  connection  with  the  affair,  she 
asked  herself  if  her  testimony  would  not  be  a  death- 
warrant  for  him. 

So  she  refused  to  make  any  response  other  than 
"  no"  or  "  I  do  not  know"  to  questions;  and  all  that 
she  had  previously  said  she  retracted.  She  swore  that 
she  was  mistaken,  that  she  had  been  misunderstood, 
that  her  words  had  been  misrepresented.  She  declared 
upon  the  most  sacred  oaths,  that  she  had  never  before 
heard  the  name  of  Lacheneur. 

At  last,  when  they  pressed  their  questions  too  closely, 


230  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

she  burst  into  wild,  despairing  sobs,  pressing  her  weep- 
ing child  convulsively  to  her  breast. 

What  could  one  do  against  this  foolish  obstinacy, 
which  was  as  unreasoning  and  blind  as  that  of  a  brute? 
M.  Segmuller  hesitated.  Finally,  after  a  moment's  re- 
flection : 

"  You  may  retire,  my  good  woman,"  he  said,  kindly ; 
"  but  remember  that  your  strange  silence  injures  your 
husband  more  than  anything  you  could  say." 

She  left  the  room — or  rather,  she  rushed  wildly  away 
— and  the  judge  and  the  detective  exchanged  glances 
of  dismay  and  consternation. 

"  I  said  so  before,"  thought  Coquet;  "  the  prisoner 
understands  what  he  is  about.  I  would  be  willing  to 
bet  a  hundred  to  one  on  the  prisoner." 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 

In  a  single  word  Delamorte  Felines  has  defined  pros- 
ecution. A  "  struggle,"  he  terms  it ;  and  it  is,  in  real- 
ity, a  terrible  struggle  between  justice,  seeking  after  the 
truth,  and  crime,  endeavoring  to  conceal  it. 

The  judge  of  instruction,  as  he  is  called  in  France, 
is  invested  with  discretionary  powers,  and  is  responsible 
only  to  the  law  and  to  his  own  conscience. 

No  one  can  hamper  him,  no  one  can  give  him  orders. 
Administration,  police,  armed  force,  are  all  at  his  dis- 
posal. At  a  word  from  him  twenty  agents,  or  a  hun- 
dred, if  need  be,  search  Paris,  ransack  France,  or  ex- 
plore Europe. 

If  he  suppose  that  any  person  can  throw  light  upon 
an  obscure  point,  he  orders  that  man  to  appear  in  his 
office;  and  he  must  come,  if  he  live  a  hundred  leagues 
away.  Such  is  the  position. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  231 

Isolated  behind  the  bars,  and  probably  in  the  solitary 
cell,  the  man  accused  of  a  crime  is,  as  it  were,  cut  off 
from  the  number  of  the  living.  No  news  from  without 
reaches  him  in  the  cell,  where  he  lives  beneath  the  eye 
of  his  keeper.  Of  what  is  said,  of  what  is  passing  out- 
side these  walls,  he  knows  nothing.  What  witnesses 
have  been  examined,  and  what  they  have  said,  he  knows 
not;  and,  in  his  doubt  and  uncertainty,  he  again  and 
again  asks  himself  to  what  extent  he  has  been  compro- 
mised, what  proofs  have  been  collected  against  him, 
and  what  grave  charges  are  ready  to  crush  him. 

Such  is  the  position  of  the  prisoner.  And  yet,  in 
spite  of  the  fact  that  the  two  adversaries  are  so  unequal- 
ly armed,  the  man  in  the  solitary  cell  not  unfrequently 
conquers. 

If  he  is  sure  that  he  has  left  behind  him  no  proofs  of 
his  crime,  if  he  has  no  antecedents  to  rise  up  against 
him,  he  can,  impregnable  in  a  defence  of  absolute  denial, 
brave  all  the  attacks  of  justice. 

Such  was,  at  this  moment,  the  situation  of  May,  the 
mysterious  murderer. 

M.  Segmuller  and  Lecoq,  with  mingled  sorrow  and 
anger,  were  forced  to  admit  this. 

They  had  hoped  that  Polyte  Chupin  or  his  wife 
would  give  them  the  solution  of  this  vexed  problem — 
this  hope  had  been  disappointed. 

And  the  identity  of  the  prisoner  remained  as  prob- 
lematical as  ever. 

"  And  yet,"  exclaimed  the  judge  vehemently,  "  and 
yet  these  people  know  something  about  this  matter, 
and  if  they  would " 

"  They  will  not." 

"  Why,  what  motive  influences  them?  This  is  what 
is  necessary  to  discover.  Who  will  tell  us  by  what 


23*  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

dazzling  promises  the  silence  of  a  scoundrel  like  this 
Polyte  Chupin  has  been  purchased?  Upon  what  rec- 
ompense does  he  count,  since  he  is  willing  to  brave  real 
danger  by  this  silence?  " 

Lecoq  did  not  reply,  but  his  'knit  brows  showed  that 
his  thoughts  were  busy. 

"  There  is  one  question  which  puzzles  me  more  than 
anything  else;  and  if  it  could  be  answered  we  should 
have  made  a  long  step  in  advance,"  he  finally  remarked 

"What  is  it?" 

"  You  ask,  Monsieur,  what  reward  has  been  prom- 
ised to  Chupin.  I  ask  who  it  is  that  has  promised  him 
this  reward." 

"  Who  has  promised  it?  Evidently  the  accomplice 
who  has  beaten  us  on  every  point." 

At  this  homage  to  the  skill  and  audacity  of  his  op- 
ponent, the  young  detective  clinched  lis  hands,  and 
vowed  vengeance  against  the  man  who  had  made  him 
a  prisoner,  only  an  hour  before. 

"  Certainly,"  he  replied.  "  I  recognize  his  hand  in 
this.  And  now,  what  artifice  has  he  used?  We  under- 
stand the  method  by  which  he  succeeded  in  gaining  an 
interview  with  the  Widow  Chupin.  But  how  has  he 
succeeded  in  reaching  Polyte,  who  is  a  prisoner,  and 
closely  guarded?" 

He  did  not  utter  his  whole  thought,  but  M.  Segmuller 
understood  him,  and  seemed  intensely  surprised,  and 
even  a  trifle  indignant,  at  the  young  man's  suspicions. 

"  What  can  you  mean?  "  said  he.  "  You  cannot  sup- 
pose that  one  of  the  employees  has  been  corrupted?  " 

Lecoq  shook  his  head  with  a  rather  equivocal  air. 
"  I  mean  nothing,"  he  replied;  "  I  suspect  no  one.     I 
am  merely  in  pursuit  of  information.     Has  Chupin  been 
warned — yes  or  no?" 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  233 

"  Yes,  of  course." 

"  The  fact  is  admitted  then.  So  I  presume  we  must 
explain  it  by  supposing  either  that  there  are  informers 
in  the  prison,  or  that  Chupin  has  been  allowed  to  see 
some  visitor." 

M.  Segmuller  was  evidently  disturbed.  He  seemed 
to  be  hesitating  between  two  opinions;  then,  suddenly 
making  up  his  mind,  he  rose,  took  his  hat,  and  said: 

"  I  wish  to  have  this  matter  cleared  up.  Come,  Mon- 
sieur Lecoq." 

In  two  minutes  (thanks  to  the  dark  and  narrow  pas- 
sage that  connects  the  depot  with  the  Palais  de  Justice) 
they  entered  the  jail. 

Rations  had  just  been  served  to  the  prisoners,  and 
the  head  keeper,  who  had  been  engaged  in  superin- 
tending the  distribution,  was  now  promenading  in  the 
court-yard  with  Gevrol. 

As  soon  as  he  saw  the  judge,  he  approached  him  with 
great  deference  of  manner. 

"  Undoubtedly,  sir,  you  have  come  about  the  pris- 
oner, May?" 

"  Yes." 

Since  it  was  a  question  of  a  prisoner,  Gevrol  thought 
he  might  approach  without  impropriety. 

"  I  was  just  now  talking  to  Inspector  Gevrol  about 
the  prisoner,"  pursued  the  keeper,  "  and  I  was  telling 
him  that  I  had  good  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  this 
man's  conduct.  It  not  only  has  been  quite  unnecessary 
to  place  him  in  the  strait-jacket,  but  his  mood  seems  to 
have  changed  entirely.  He  has  a  good  appetite;  he  is 
as  gay  as  a  lark,  and  laughs  and  jests  with  his  keeper." 

The  judge  and  Lecoq  exchanged  troubled  glances. 

This  gayety  might  be  assumed  for  the  purpose  of 
carrying  out  his  role  as  a  jester  and  buffoon ;  but  might 


234  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

it  not  have  come  from  a  certainty  of  defeating  his  op- 
ponents? or,  who  knows?  perhaps,  from  some  favor- 
able news  received  from  without. 

This  last  supposition  offered  itself  so  persistently  to 
M.  Segmuller's  mind  that  he  trembled. 

"  Are  you  sure,"  he  inquired,  "  that  no  communica- 
tion from  outside  can  reach  the  inmates  of  the  solitary 
cells?" 

The  worthy  keeper  seemed  to  be  deeply  wounded  by 
the  implied  doubt.  His  subordinates  suspected — per- 
haps the  keeper  himself!  He  could  not  help  lifting  his 
hands  to  heaven  in  mute  protest  against  such  injustice. 

"Am  I  sure?"  he  exclaimed.  "Then  you  have 
never  visited  the  solitary  cells — or  the  secret  cells,  as 
we  call  them.  You  have  no  idea,  then,  of  the  precau- 
tions that  surround  them,  the  triple  bolts,  the  grating 
that  shuts  out  the  sunlight,  to  say  nothing  of  the  guard 
who  walks  beneath  the  windows  night  and  day.  Not 
even  a  bird  could  reach  the  prisoners  in  those  cells." 

Such  a  description  could  not  fail  to  reassure  the  most 
sceptical. 

"  Now  that  I  am  easy  on  that  score,"  said  the  judge, 
"  I  would  like  some  information  regarding  another 
prisoner — a  certain  Chupin." 

"  Ah!  I  know — a  vile  scoundrel!  " 

"  He  is,  indeed.  I  would  like  to  know  if  he  received 
any  visitor  yesterday?  " 

"  It  will  be  necessary  for  me  to  inquire  of  the  clerk 
before  I  can  answer  with  certainty.  Wait  a  moment; 
here  is  a  man  who,  perhaps,  can  inform  us.  He  is  on 
guard  at  the  entrance.  Here,  Ferrau,  this  way! "  he 
called. 

The  man  hastened  to  obey  the  summons. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Do  you  know  whether  the  prisoner  named  Chupin 
was  in  the  reception-room  yesterday?  " 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  was;  I  conducted  him  there  myself." 

"  And  who  was  his  visitor?  "  inquired  Lecoq,  eager- 
ly ;  "  a  large  man,  was  it  not,  very  red  in  the  face " 

"  Excuse  me,  Monsieur ;  the  visitor  was  a  lady ;  his 
aunt,  he  told  me." 

An  exclamation  of  surprise  escaped  the  lips  of  the 
judge  and  of  the  detective,  and  together  they  demanded: 

"  What  was  she  like?  " 

"  Small,"  replied  the  man,  "  with  very  fair  complex- 
ion and  light  hair;  she  seemed  to  be  a  very  respectable 
woman." 

"  It  must  have  been  one  of  the  fugitives  who  escaped 
from  Widow  Chupin's  hovel,"  exclaimed  Lecoq. 

Gevrol  laughed  loudly. 

"  Still  that  Russian  princess,"  said  he. 

But  the  judge  did  not  appear  to  enjoy  the  pleasantry. 

"  You  forget  yourself,  Monsieur,"  he  said,  severely. 
"  You  forget  that  the  sneers  you  address  to  your  com- 
rade also  touch  me!  " 

The  general  saw  that  he  had  gone  too  far;  and  while 
he  bestowed  one  of  his  most  venomous  glances  upon 
Lecoq,  he  mumbled  his  excuses  to  the  judge. 

M.  Segmuller  did  not  hear  them  apparently.  He 
bowed  to  the  keeper,  and  motioned  Lecoq  to  follow 
him. 

"  Run  to  the  prefecture,"  he  said,  as  soon  as  they  were 
out  of  hearing,  "  and  ascertain  how  and  under  what 
pretext  this  woman  obtained  permission  to  visit  Polyte 
Chupin." 


236  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

Left  alone,  M.  Segmuller  returned  mechanically  to 
his  office,  guided  by  force  of  habit  rather  than  by  any 
volition  of  his  own. 

All  his  faculties  were  hard  at  work ;  and  so  great  was 
his  preoccupation  that  he,  who  was  ordinarily  the  quin- 
tessence of  politeness,  entirely  forgot  to  return  the  salu- 
tations which  he  received  on  his  way. 

How  had  this  case,  until  now,  been  conducted?  By 
hazard,  according  to  the  caprice  of  events.  Like  a  man 
lost  in  the  darkness,  he  had  left  his  course  to  chance, 
walking  toward  anything  which,  in  the  distance,  seemed 
to  him  like  a  light. 

To  travel  in  this  way  is  a  useless  expenditure  of  time 
and  strength.  He  admitted  this  in  recognizing  the  ur- 
gent and  pressing  necessity  of  some  definite  plan  of 
action. 

Since  he  had  not  succeeded  in  capturing  the  city  by 
a  sudden  attack,  he  was  compelled  to  resign  himself 
to  the  methodical  delays  of  a  regular  and  protracted 
siege. 

And  he  decided  to  do  this  at  once,  for  he  felt  that  the 
hours  were  fleeting  all  too  fast.  He  knew  that  delay 
only  increased  the  uncertainty  of  success,  and  that  the 
investigation  of  a  crime  becomes  more  and  more  diffi- 
cult, in  proportion  as  one  is  removed  from  the  time 
when  said  crime  was  committed. 

There  were  some  things  that  might  still  be  done. 

Ought  he  not  to  confront  the  murderer,  the  Widow 
Chupin,  and  Polyte  with  the  bodies  of  their  victims? 

Such  horrible  encounters  are  sometimes  productive 
of  unhoped-for  results. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  *37 

More  than  one  murderer,  when  _unsuspectedly 
brought  into  the  presence  of  his  victim,  had  changed 
color  and  lost  his  assurance. 

There  were  other  witnesses  whom  he  could  examine. 
Papillon,  the  coachman ;  the  concierge  of  the  mansion 
on  the  Rue  de  Bourgogne,  where  the  two  women  had 
taken  refuge  for  a  moment,  a  Mme.  Milner,  the  mistress 
of  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg. 

Would  it  not  also  be  advisable  to  summon,  with  the 
least  possible  delay,  some  of  the  residents  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  Poivriere,  and  some  comrades  of  Polyte,  as  well 
as  the  proprietor  of  the  Rainbow,  where  the  victims  and 
the  murderer  had  passed  a  portion  of  the  evening? 

Certainly,  one  had  no  reason  to  hope  for  any  great 
enlightenment  from  any  particular  one  of  these  wit- 
nesses, but  each  one  might  add  his  conjectures,  express 
an  opinion,  or  be  able  to  throw  some  light  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

Coquet,  the  smiling  clerk,  acting  in  compliance  with 
the  orders  of  the  judge,  had  just  finished  drawing  up  at 
least  a  dozen  citations,  when  Lecoq  reappeared. 

"Well?"  exclaimed  the  judge,  eagerly. 

Really,  the  question  was  superfluous.  The  result  of 
his  expedition  was  plainly  written  upon  the  face  of  the 
detective. 

"  Nothing — always  nothing." 

"  But  how  can  that  be?  Do  they  not  know  to  whom 
the  permission  to  visit  Polyte  Chupin  was  given  ?  " 

"  Pardon,  Monsieur,  they  know  but  too  well.  We 
find  only  a  fresh  proof  of  the  infernal  skill  with  which 
the  accomplice  profits  by  every  circumstance.  The 
permit  that  was  used  yesterday  was  in  the  name  of  a  sis- 
ter of  the  Widow  Chupin,  Rose  Adelaide  Pitard.  The 
card  of  admission  was  given  her  more  than  a  week  ago, 


238  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

in  compliance  with  a  request  which  was  indorsed  by 
the  commissioner  of  police." 

The  surprise  of  the  judge  was  so  intense  that  it  gave 
to  his  face  an  almost  ludicrous  expression. 

"  Is  this  aunt  also  in  the  plot?  "  he  murmured. 

The  detective  shook  his  head. 

"  I  think  not,"  he  answered.  "  It  was  not  she,  at  all 
events,  who  was  in  the  prison  parlor  yesterday.  The 
clerks  at  the  prefecture  remember  the  widow's  sister 
very  well,  and  gave  me  a  full  description  of  her.  She  is 
a  woman  over  five  feet  in  height,  very  dark  complex- 
ioned,  very  wrinkled  and  weather-beaten  in  appear- 
ance, and  about  sixty  years  of  age.  The  visitor  yes- 
terday was  small,  blond,  and  apparently  not  more  than 
forty-five." 

"  If  that  is  the  case,"  interrupted  M.  Segmuller,  "  this 
visitor  must  be  one  of  our  fugitives." 

"  I  do  not  think  so." 

"  Who  do  you  suppose  she  was,  then?  " 

"  The  mistress  of  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg — that 
clever  woman  who  succeeded  so  well  in  deceiving  me. 
But  she  had  better  take  care!  There  are  means  of  veri- 
fying my  suspicions." 

The  judge  scarcely  heard  Lecoq's  words,  so  enraged 
was  he  at  the  inconceivable  audacity  and  marvellous 
devotion  of  these  people  who  risked  everything  to  pre- 
serve the  incognito  of  the  murderer. 

"  But  how  could  the  accomplice  have  known  of  the 
existence  of  this  permit?  " 

"  Oh,  nothing  could  be  easier,  Monsieur.  When  the 
Widow  Chupin  and  the  accomplice  held  their  interview 
at  the  station-house  of  the  Barriere  dTtalie,  they  both 
realized  the  necessity  of  warning  Polyte.  They  tried 
to  devise  some  way  of  seeing  him;  the  old  woman  re- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  239 

membered  her  sister's  card  of  admission,  and  the  man 
made  some  excuse  to  borrow  it." 

"  Such  is  undoubtedly  the  case,"  said  M.  Segmuller, 
approvingly.  "  It  will  be  necessary  to  ascertain,  how- 
ever  " 

Lecoq's  bearing  was  that  of  a  resolute  man,  whose 
eager  zeal  has  no  need  of  a  stimulant. 

"  And  I  will  ascertain,"  said  he,  "  if  you,  Monsieur, 
will  intrust  the  matter  to  me.  No  aid  to  success  shall 
be  neglected.  Before  evening  I  would  have  two  spies 
on  the  watch — one  at  the  Rue  de  la  Butte-aux-Cailles, 
the  other  at  the  door  of  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg. 
If  the  accomplice  attempted  to  visit  Toinon,  or 
Madame  Milner,  he  should  be  arrested.  It  would  be 
our  turn  then !  " 

But  there  was  no  time  to  waste  in  words  and  in  idle 
boastings.  He  checked  himself,  and  took  his  hat  pre- 
paratory to  departure. 

"  Now,"  said  he,  "  I  must  ask  Monsieur  le  Juge  for 
my  liberty;  if  he  has  any  orders  to  give  me,  he  will  find 
a  trusty  messenger  in  the  corridor,  Father  Absinthe, 
one  of  my  colleagues.  I  wish  to  discover  some  fact  in 
regard  to  two  of  our  most  important  articles  of  convic- 
tion, Lacheneur's  letter  and  the  ear-ring." 

"  Go,  then,"  responded  M.  Segmuller,  "  and  good 
luck  to  you! " 

Good  luck !  The  detective,  indeed,  looked  for  it.  If, 
up  to  the  present  moment,  he  had  taken  his  successive 
defeats  good-humoredly,  it  was  because  he  believed  that 
he  had  a  talisman  in  his  pocket  which  would  insure  him 
victory  at  last. 

"  I  shall  be  very  stupid  if  I  am  not  capable  of  discov- 
ering the  owner  of  an  article  of  such  great  value !  " 
he  said,  referring  to  the  diamond.  "  And  when  we 


240  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

find  the  owner,  we  discover,  at  the  same  time,  the  iden- 
tity of  our  mysterious  prisoner!  " 

The  first  step  to  be  taken  was  to  ascertain  in  what 
shop  this  ornament  had  been  purchased.  To  go  from 
jeweller  to  jeweller,  asking:  "Is  this  your  work?" 
would  be  a  tedious  process. 

Fortunately,  Lecoq  knew  a  man  who  would  be  will- 
ing to  give  him  all  the  information  in  his  power. 

This  man  was  an  old  Hollander,  named  Van  Nu- 
men,  who,  where  jewelry  or  precious  stones  were  con- 
cerned, was  without  a  rival  in  Paris. 

He  was  employed  in  the  prefecture  in  the  capacity 
of  an  expert  in  such  matters.  He  was  considered 
rich ;  but  he  was  far  more  wealthy  than  people  sup- 
posed. Shabby  as  he  always  was  in  appearance,  he 
had  a  passion  for  diamonds.  He  always  had  some  of 
them  about  his  person,  in  a  little  box,  which  he  drew 
out  of  his  pocket  a  dozen  times  an  hour,  as  a  snuff- 
taker  brings  out  his  snuff-box. 

This  worthy  man  greeted  Lecoq  very  affably.  He 
put  on  his  glasses,  examined  the  jewel  with  a  grimace 
of  satisfaction,  and,  in  the  tone  of  an  oracle,  said : 

"  That  stone  is  worth  eight  thousand  francs,  and  it 
was  set  by  Doisty,  on  the  Rue  de  la  Paix." 

Twenty  minutes  later  Lecoq  entered  the  establish- 
ment of  this  celebrated  jeweller. 

Van  Numen  was  not  mistaken.  Doisty  immediate- 
ly recognized  the  ornament,  which  had,  indeed,  come 
from  his  store.  But  to  whom  had  he  sold  it?  He 
could  not  recollect,  for  it  had  passed  out  of  his  hands 
three  or  four  years  before. 

"  But  wait  a  moment,"  he  added ;  "  I  will  ask  my 
wife,  who  has  an  incomparable  memory." 

Mme.   Doisty  deserved  this   eulogium.    A  single 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  241 

glance  at  the  jewel  enabled  her  to  say  that  she  had 
seen  this  ear-ring  before,  and  that  the  pair  had  been 
purchased  from  them  by  the  Marquise  d'Arlange. . 

"  You  must  recollect,"  she  added,  turning  to  her 
husband,  "  that  the  marquise  paid  us  only  nine  thou- 
sand francs  on  account,  and  that  we  had  all  the  trouble 
in  the  world  in  collecting  the  remainder." 

Her  husband  did  remember  this  circumstance. 

"  Now,"  said  the  detective,  "  I  would  like  the  ad- 
dress of  this  marquise." 

"  She  lives  in  the  Faubourg  St.  Germain,"  respond- 
ed Mme.  Doisty,  "  near  the  Esplanade  des  Invalides." 

CHAPTER  XXX 

While  in  the  presence  of  the  jeweller,  Lecoq  had  re- 
frained from  any  demonstration  of  satisfaction. 

But  when  he  had  left  the  store,  he  evinced  such  de- 
lirious joy  that  the  amazed  passers-by  wondered  if  the 
man  were  not  mad.  He  did  not  walk,  he  fairly  danced 
over  the  stones,  gesticulating  all  the  while  in  the  most 
ridiculous  fashion,  as  he  addressed  this  triumphant 
monologue  to  the  empty  air: 

"  At  last,"  said  he,  "  this  affair  emerges  from  the 
mystery  that  has  enshrouded  it.  At  last  I  reach  the 
veritable  actors  in  the  drama,  these  exalted  personages 
whom  I  had  suspected.  Ah!  Gevrol,  illustrious  gen- 
eral !  you  wished  a  Russian  princess,  but  you  will  be 
obliged  to  content  yourself  with  a  simple  marquise." 

But  this  species  of  vertigo  gradually  disappeared. 
His  good  sense  reasserted  itself,  and  the  young  man 
felt  that  he  would  have  need  of  all  his  coolness,  all  his 
penetration,  and  all  his  sagacity  to  bring  this  expedi- 
tion to  a  successful  termination. 


242  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

What  course  should  he  pursue,  on  entering  the  pres- 
ence of  the  marquise,  in  order  to  draw  a  full  confession 
from  her,  and  to  obtain  all  the  details  of  the  murder, 
as  well  as  the  murderer's  name  ? 

"  It  will  be  best  to  threaten  her,  to  frighten  her  into 
confession,  that  will  be  the  best  way.  If  I  give  her 
time  for  reflection,  I  shall  learn  nothing." 

He  paused  in  his  cogitations,  for  he  had  reached  the 
abode  of  the  Marquise  d'Arlange — a  charming  house, 
surrounded  by  a  garden  ;  and  before  entering  the  man- 
sion, he  deemed  it  advisable  to  learn  something  of  its 
interior  and  of  its  inmates. 

"  It  is  here,  then,"  he  murmured,  "  that  I  shall  find 
the  solution  of  the  enigma!  Here  behind  those  rich 
curtains  crouches  the  frightened  fugitive  of  the  other 
night.  For  what  an  agony  of  fear  must  torture  her 
since  she  has  discovered  the  loss  of  the  jewel !  " 

For  more  than  an  hour  sheltered  beneath  a  neigh- 
boring porte-cochere,  Lecoq  stood  watching  the  house. 
He  wished  to  see  the  face  of  some  inmate  of  the  man- 
sion. But  his  time  was  lost.  Not  a  face  showed  it- 
self at  the  windows,  not  a  valet  traversed  the  court. 

At  last,  losing  patience,  he  determined  to  make 
some  inquiries  in  the  neighborhood. 

He  could  not  take  a  decisive  step  without  having 
some  knowledge  of  the  people  he  was  to  encounter. 
He  was  wondering  where  he  could  obtain  the  desired 
information,  when  he  perceived,  on  the  opposite  side 
of  the  street,  a  wine-merchant  smoking  on  the  pave- 
ment in  front  of  his  shop. 

He  approached  him,  and,  pretending  that  he  had  for- 
gotten an  address,  politely  inquired  which  house  was 
the  abode  of  the  Marquise  d'Arlange. 

Without  a  word,  without  even  condescending  to  re- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  243 

move  his  pipe  from  his  mouth,  the  man  pointed  to  the 
house. 

But  there  was  a  way  of  rendering  him  communica- 
tive, and  that  was  to  enter  his  establishment,  call  for 
something  to  drink,  and  invite  the  proprietor  to  drink 
with  him. 

This  the  young  man  did,  and  the  sight  of  two  well- 
filled  glasses  unbound,  as  by  a  miracle,  the  tongue  of 
the  worthy  shop-keeper. 

One  could  not  have  found  a  better  man  to  interro- 
gate, as  he  had  been  established  in  that  quarter  for  ten 
years,  and  was  honored  by  the  patronage  of  most  of 
the  residents. 

"  I  pity  you  if  you  are  going  to  the  house  of  the  mar- 
quise to  collect  a  bill,"  he  remarked  to  Lecoq.  "  You 
will  have  plenty  of  time  to  learn  the  way  to  the  house 
before  you  see  the  color  of  your  money.  You  will 
only  be  another  of  the  many  creditors  who  never  let 
that  bell  rest." 

"  The  devil !     Is  she  so  poor  as  all  that  ?  " 

"  Poor !  Everyone  knows  that  she  has  an  income 
of  twenty  thousand  livres,  without  counting  this  house. 
But  when  one  spends  double  one's  income  every  year, 
you  know " 

He  stopped  short,  to  call  Lecoq's  attention  to  two 
ladies  who  were  passing — one,  rather  more  than  forty 
years  of  age,  dressed  in  black ;  the  other,  very  young, 
and  still  clothed  in  the  garb  of  a  school-girl. 

"  And  that,"  he  added,  "  is  the  marquise's  grand- 
daughter, Mademoiselle  Claire,  attended  by  her  gov- 
ernessi  Mademoiselle  Smith." 

Lecoq's  head  whirled. 

"  Her  granddaughter  ?  "  he  stammered. 


244  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Yes ;  the  daughter  of  her  deceased  son,  if  you  like 
that  any  better." 

"  How  old  is  the  marquise,  then  ?  " 

"  At  least  sixty ;  but  one  would  never  suspect  it.  She 
is  one  of  those  persons  who  will  live  a  hundred  years, 
like  trees.  And  what  an  old  wretch  she  is !  She  would 
think  no  more  of  knocking  me  over  the  head  than  I 
would  of  emptying  this  glass  of  wine " 

"  Pardon,"  interrupted  Lecoq,  "  but  does  she  live 
alone  in  that  great  house  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  that  is,  with  only  her  granddaughter,  the 
governess,  and  two  servants.  But  what  is  the  matter 
with  you  ?  " 

It  was  not  strange  that  he  asked  this  question,  for 
Lecoq  had  turned  as  white  as  his  shirt.  The  magic 
edifice  of  his  hopes  had  crumbled  beneath  the  weight 
of  this  man's  words  as  completely  as  if  it  were  a  frail 
card-house  constructed  by  some  child. 

"  Nothing — nothing  at  all,"  he  responded,  in  an  un- 
certain voice. 

But  he  could  not  endure  this  torture  of  uncertainty 
any  longer.  He  went  to  the  house  and  rang  the  bell. 

The  servant  who  came  to  open  the  door  examined 
him  attentively,  then  replied,  that  madame  la  marquise 
was  in  the  country. 

Evidently  he  did  him  the  honor  of  taking  him  for 
some  creditor. 

But  he  insisted  so  adroitly,  he  gave  him  to  under- 
stand so  explicitly  that  he  did  not  come  to  collect 
money,  he  spoke  so  earnestly  of  urgent  business,  that 
the  man  finally  admitted  him  to  the  vestibule,  telling 
him  that  he  would  go  and  ascertain  if  madame  had 
really  gone  out. 

She  was  at  home.    An  instant  after  the  valet  re- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  245 

turned  to  tell  Lecoq  to  follow  him ;  and  after  passing 
a  large  and  magnificently  furnished  drawing-room,  he 
conducted  him  into  a  charming  boudoir,  hung  with 
rose-color. 

There,  in  a  large  reclining  chair  by  the  fireplace,  sat 
an  old  woman,  large,  bony,  and  terrible  of  aspect,  load- 
ed with  ornaments  and  with  paint.  She  was  engaged 
in  knitting  a  stripe  of  green  wool. 

She  turned  toward  the  visitor  just  enough  to  show 
him  the  rouge  on  one  cheek ;  then,  as  he  seemed  rather 
frightened — a  fact  flattering  to  her  vanity — she  spoke 
to  him  quite  affably. 

"  Ah,  well !  young  man  ;  what  brings  you  here  ?  " 

Lecoq  was  not  frightened,  but  he  was  intensely  dis- 
appointed to  see  that  Mme.  d'Arlange  could  not  be  one 
of  the  women  who  had  visited  the  Widow  Chupin's 
saloon  on  that  memorable  night. 

There  was  nothing  about  her  appearance  that  cor- 
responded in  the  least  with  the  description  given  by 
Papillon. 

Then  the  young  man  remembered  the  small  foot- 
prints left  in  the  snow  by  the  two  fugitives.  The  foot 
of  this  marquise,  which  showed  itself  below  the  bot- 
tom of  her  dress,  was  truly  colossal  in  size. 

"  Well !  are  you  dumb  ?  "  inquired  the  old  lady,  rais- 
ing her  voice. 

Without  making  a  direct  response,  Lecoq  drew  from 
his  pocket  the  precious  ear-ring,  and,  placing  it  upon 
the  table  beside  her,  he  said : 

"  I  bring  you  this  article  which  I  have  found,  and 
which,  I  am  told,  belongs  to  you." 

Madame  d'Arlange  laid  down  her  knitting  to  exam- 
ine the  jewel. 

"  It  is  true,"  she  said,  after  a  moment,  "  that  this  or- 


246  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

nament  formerly  belonged  to  me.  It  was  a  fancy  that 
I  had,  about  four  years  ago,  and  it  cost  me  dear — at 
least  twenty  thousand  francs.  Ah!  Doisty,  the  man 
who  sold  me  these  diamonds  must  make  a  handsome 
living.  But  I  had  a  granddaughter  to  educate! 
Pressing  need  of  money  compelled  me  to  sell  them." 

"  To  whom  ?  "  inquired  Lecoq,  eagerly. 

"  Eh !  "  exclaimed  the  lady,  evidently  shocked  at  his 
audacity,  "  you  are  very  curious,  upon  my  word !  " 

"  Excuse  me,  Madame,  but  I  am  so  anxious  to  find 
the  owner  of  this  valuable  ornament." 

Madame  d'Arlange  regarded  her  visitor  with  an  air 
of  mingled  curiosity  and  surprise. 

"Such  honesty!"  said  she.  "Oh,  oh!  And,  of 
course,  you  do  not  hope  for  a  sou  by  way  of  re- 
ward  " 

"  Madame !  " 

"  Good,  good !  There  is  not  the  least  need  for  you 
to  turn  as  red  as  a  poppy,  young  man.  I  sold  these 
diamonds  to  a  great  German  lady — for  the  nobility  in 
Austria  have  some  money  left — to  the  Baroness  de 
Watchau." 

"  And  where  does  this  lady  live  ?  " 

"  At  the  Pere  la  Chaise,  probably,  since  she  died 
about  a  year  ago.  These  women  of  the  present  day — 
a  turn  in  the  waltz,  and  a  current  of  air,  and  it  is  all 
over  with  them !  In  my  day,  after  each  galop,  young 
girls  swallowed  a  great  glass  of  sweetened  wine,  and 
sat  down  between  two  doors.  And  we  did  very  well, 
as  you  see." 

"  But,  Madame,"  insisted  Lecoq,  "  the  Baron  de 
Watchau  must  have  left  heirs — a  husband,  chil- 
dren  " 

"  No  one  but  a  brother,  who  holds  a  court  position 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  247 

at  Vienna ;  and  who  could  not  leave  even  to  attend  the 
funeral.  He  sent  orders  that  all  his  sister's  personal 
property  should  be  sold — not  even  excepting  her 
wardrobe — and  the  money  sent  to  him." 

Lecoq  could  not  repress  an  exclamation  of  disap- 
pointment. 

"  How  unfortunate !  "  he  murmured. 

"  Why  ?  "  asked  the  old  lady.  "  Under  these  cir- 
cumstances, the  diamonds  will  probably  remain  in 
your  hands,  and  I  am  rejoiced  at  it;  it  will  be  a  just 
recompense  for  your  honesty." 

If  fate,  to  all  Lecoq's  other  afflictions,  had  determined 
to  add  that  of  irony,  his  cup  of  sorrow  would,  indeed, 
be  full.  The  Marquise  d'Arlange  inflicted  upon  him  the 
most  exquisite  torture  when  with  every  appearance  of 
sincerity,  she  expressed  a  wish  that  he  might  never  find 
the  lady  who  had  lost  this  costly  jewel. 

To  cry  out,  to  give  vent  to  his  anger,  to  reproach 
this  old  woman  for  her  stupidity  would  have  afforded 
him  ineffable  consolation.  But  in  that  case,  what 
would  become  of  his  role  of  honest  young  man  ? 

He  forced  his  lips  to  display  a  smile ;  he  even  stam- 
mered an  acknowledgment  of  her  goodness.  Then, 
as  if  he  had  no  more  to  expect,  he  bowed  low,  and 
withdrew,  overwhelmed  by  this  new  misfortune. 

Owing  to  some  strange  fatality,  or  to  the  marvel- 
lous skill  of  his  adversaries,  he  had  seen  all  the  threads 
upon  which  he  had  relied  to  guide  him  out  of  this 
labyrinth,  break  in  his  hands. 

Was  he  the  dupe  of  some  new  comedy?  This  was 
not  probable. 

If  the  murderer's  accomplice  had  taken  the  jeweller, 
Doisty,  into  his  confidence,  he  would  have  told  him  to 
reply  to  any  inquiries  by  saying  that  he  did  not  know 


248  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

to  whom  the  diamonds  had  been  sold,  or  that  it  had 
not  come  from  his  establishment. 

But  this  complication  of  circumstances  proved 
Doisty's  sincerity  at  least. 

Then  the  young  man  had  other  reasons  for  not 
doubting  the  truth  of  the  assertions  made  by  the  mar- 
quise. A  peculiar  look,  which  he  had  detected  be- 
tween the  jeweller  and  his  wife  was  a  sufficient  authen- 
tication. 

This  glance  said  very  plainly  that,  in  their  opinion, 
the  marquise,  in  purchasing  the  diamonds,  had  en- 
gaged in  a  little  speculation,  more  common  than  peo- 
ple suppose  among  women  of  the  world.  She  had 
bought  on  credit,  to  sell  at  a  loss,  profiting  momentar- 
ily by  the  difference  between  the  sum  she  had  paid  on 
account  and  the  price  she  received  for  the  jewels. 

Lecoq  was  resolved  to  fathom  the  mystery  that  sur- 
rounded the  ornament ;  and  with  this  object  in  view, 
he  returned  to  Doisty's  establishment,  and,  by  means 
of  a  plausible  pretext,  succeeded  in  gaining  a  sight  of 
the  books  in  which  the  proprietor  recorded  his  sales. 

On  the  year  and  the  month  that  Mme.  Doisty  had 
mentioned,  the  sale  of  these  ear-rings  had  been  record- 
ed, not  only  upon  the  day-book,  but  upon  the  ledger. 
The  nine  thousand  francs  paid  by  Mme.  d'Arlange  at 
long  intervals  were  also  duly  recorded. 

How  Mme.  Milner  might  inscribe  a  false  entry  upon 
her  register,  one  could  easily  understand.  But  it  was 
absurd  to  suppose  that  the  jeweller  had  falsified  all  his 
accounts  for  four  years. 

The  facts,  therefore,  were  indisputable;  still  the 
young  detective  was  not  satisfied. 

He  hurried  to  the  Faubourg- Saint-Honore,  to  the 
house  which  the  Baroness  de  Watchau  had  occupied, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  249 

and  there  he  found  a  good-natured  concierge,  who  in- 
formed him  that  after  the  decease  of  that  poor  lady,  her 
furniture  and  her  personal  property  had  been  taken  to 
an  establishment  on  the  Rue  Drouot.  "  And  the  sale 
was  under  the  charge  of  Monsieur  Petit,"  added  the 
obliging  concierge. 

Without  losing  a  minute,  Lecoq  ran  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  this  auctioneer,  who  made  a  specialty  of 
rare  collections  of  bric-a-brac. 

M.  Petit  remembered  the  "  Watchau  sale "  very 
well ;  it  had  made  quite  a  sensation  at  the  time,  and  he 
soon  found  a  long  catalogue  of  the  articles  sold  among 
his  papers. 

Many  jewels  were  mentioned,  with  the  sum  paid, 
and  the  names  of  the  parties  purchasing ;  but  there  was 
not  the  slightest  allusion  to  the  accursed  ear-rings. 

Lecoq  drew  out  the  diamond  which  he  had  in  his 
pocket.  The  auctioneer  could  not  remember  that  he 
had  ever  seen  it ;  but  this  was  no  evidence  to  the  con- 
trary— so  many  articles  passed  through  his  hands ! 

But  this  much  he  could  declare  upon  oath;  that 
the  brother  of  the  baroness,  her  heir,  had  received 
nothing — not  so  much  as  a  pin's  worth  of  his  sister's 
effects ;  and  that  he  had  been  in  a  great  hurry  to  receive 
the  proceeds,  which  amounted  to  the  very  pleasant 
sum  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-seven  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  thirty  francs,  after  all  expenses  had  been  de- 
ducted. 

"  So  everything  that  this  lady  possessed  was  sold  ?  " 
inquired  Lecoq. 

"  Everything." 

"  And  what  is  the  name  of  this  brother  ?  " 

"  Watchau,  also.  The  Baroness  had  probably  mar- 
ried one  of  her  relatives.  This  brother,  until  last  year, 


25o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

occupied  a  very  prominent  diplomatic  position.  He 
resides  at  Berlin  now,  I  think." 

Certainly  this  information  would  not  seem  to  indi- 
cate that  these  witnesses  had  been  tampered  with ;  and 
yet  Lecoq  was  not  satisfied. 

"  It  is  very  strange,"  he  thought,  on  regaining  his 
lodgings,  "  that  to  whichever  side  I  turn  in  this  affair, 
I  find  Germany.  The  murderer  comes  from  Leipsic, 
Madame  Milner  must  be  a  Bavarian,  and  now  here  is 
an  Austrian  baroness." 

It  was  too  late  to  make  any  further  inquiries  that 
evening,  and  Lecoq  went  to  bed ;  but  the  next  morn- 
ing, at  an  early  hour,  he  resumed  his  investigations 
with  fresh  ardor. 

Now,  there  seemed  to  be  only  one  chance  of  success 
left:  the  letter  signed  by  Lacheneur,  which  had  been 
found  in  the  pocket  of  the  murdered  soldier. 

This  letter,  judging  from  the  half-effaced  heading, 
must  have  been  written  in  a  cafe  on  the  Boulevard 
Beaumarchais. 

To  discover  in  which  cafe  would  be  only  child's  play. 

The  fourth  restaurant-keeper  to  whom  Lecoq  exhib- 
ited this  letter  recognized  the  paper  as  his. 

But  neither  he,  nor  his  wife,  nor  the  young  lady  at 
the  desk,  nor  the  waiters,  nor  any  of  the  guests  present 
at  the  time,  had  ever  in  their  lives  heard  the  three  syl- 
lables of  this  name,  Lacheneur. 

What  was  he  to  do  now?  Was  the  case  entirely 
hopeless?  Not  yet. 

Had  not  the  dying  soldier  declared  that  this  Lache- 
neur was  an  old  comedian? 

Seizing  upon  this  frail  clew,  as  a  drowning  man 
clutches  at  the  merest  fragment  of  the  floating  wreck, 
Lecoq  turned  his  steps  in  another  direction,  and  hur- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  251 

ried  from  theatre  to  theatre,  asking  everyone,  from  the 
porters  to  the  managers : 

"  Do  you  not  know  an  actor  named  Lacheneur?  " 

Everywhere  he  met  with  the  same  response,  not  un- 
frequently  enlivened  by  rough  jokes.  And  very  often 
those  whom  he  interrogated  inquired: 

"  What  sort  of  a  looking  man  is  your  artist  ?  " 

What  could  he  reply?  All  his  responses  were  nec- 
essarily limited  to  that  phrase  uttered  by  Toinon :  "  I 
thought  him  a  very  respectable-looking  man."  This 
was  not  a  very  graphic  description,  however.  Be- 
sides, it  was  rather  doubtful  what  a  woman  like  the 
wife  of  Polyte  Chupin  meant  by  the  word  "  respect- 
able." Did  she  apply  it  to  the  man's  age,  to  his  per- 
sonal appearance,  or  to  his  apparent  fortune  ? 

Sometimes  they  inquired : 

"  What  roles  does  your  comedian  play  ?  " 

And  the  young  man,  in  his  ignorance,  could  make 
no  reply ;  but  this  much  he  could  have  said  with  truth, 
that  this  Lacheneur  was  playing  a  role  now  that  made 
him,  Lecoq,  wild  with  despair. 

He  next  had  recourse  to  a  mode  of  investigation 
which  is  generally  the  last  resort  of  the  police,  but 
which  is  generally  successful,  because  it  is  so  sensible 
and  simple. 

He  determined  to  examine  all  the  books  in  which 
the  law  compels  the  proprietors  of  hotels  and  lodging- 
houses  to  keep  a  record  of  their  guests. 

Rising  long  before  daybreak,  and  going  to  bed  late 
at  night,  he  spent  all  his  time  in  visiting  the  hotels,  fur- 
nished houses,  and  lodgings  in  Paris. 

Vain  search!  Not  once  did  he  find  the  name  of 
Lacheneur  that  haunted  his  brain.  Was  there  really 
such  a  name  ?  Was  it  not  a  pseudonym,  invented  for 


252  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

convenience  ?  He  had  not  found  it  even  in  the  Alma- 
nack Botlin,  where  one  finds  all  the  most  singular  and 
absurd  names  in  France — those  which  are  formed  of 
the  most  fantastic  mingling  of  syllables. 

But  nothing  could  daunt  him  or  turn  him  from  the 
almost  impossible  task  to  which  he  had  devoted  him- 
self. His  obstinacy  amounted  wellnigh  to  mono- 
mania. 

He  was  no  longer  subject  to  occasional  outbursts  of 
anger,  which  were  quickly  repressed ;  he  lived  in  a  state 
of  constant  exasperation,  which  impaired  the  clearness 
of  his  mind  not  a  little. 

No  more  theories,  subtle  reasoning,  and  ingenious 
deductions.  He  pursued  his  search,  without  method, 
without  order,  and  much  as  Father  Absinthe  might 
have  done  when  under  the  influence  of  alcohol. 

Perhaps  he  had  come  to  rely  less  upon  his  own 
shrewdness  than  upon  chance  to  drive  away  the 
shadows  which  he  divined,  which  he  felt,  which  he 
breathed. 

CHAPTER  XXXI 

If  one  throws  a  heavy  stone  into  a  lake  it  produces 
a  very  considerable  commotion,  and  the  whole  mass  of 
water  is  agitated.  But  the  great  movement  lasts  only 
for  a  moment ;  the  waves  diminish  in  violence  in  pro- 
portion as  the  circles  enlarge,  the  surface  regains  its 
smoothness,  and  soon  no  trace  remains  of  the  stone, 
now  buried  in  the  depths  below. 

So  it  is  with  events  that  occur  in  our  daily  life,  how- 
ever momentous  they  may  appear.  It  seems  as  if 
their  impression  would  endure  for  years — nonsense ! 
Time  closes  over  them  more  quickly  than  the  water  of 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  253 

the  lake;  and  more  rapidly  than  the  stone,  they  sink 
into  the  depths  of  the  past. 

At  the  end  of  a  fortnight,  the  frightful  crime  com- 
mitted in  the  Widow  Chupin's  saloon — the  triple  mur- 
der which  had  made  all  Paris  shudder,  with  which  all 
the  papers  had  been  full,  was  forgotten  as  entirely  as 
any  commonplace  assassination  in  the  reign  of  Charle- 
magne. 

Only  at  the  Palais  de  Justice,  at  the  prefecture,  and 
at  the  prison,  was  it  remembered. 

The  efforts  of  M.  Segmuller — and  Heaven  knows 
that  he  had  spared  none — had  met  with  no  better  suc- 
cess than  those  of  Lecoq. 

Close  interrogations,  skilfully  managed  examina- 
tions, sharp  questions,  insinuations,  menaces,  promises, 
all  spent  themselves  in  vain  against  that  invincible 
force — the  strongest  man  has  at  his  disposal — the  force 
of  absolute  denial. 

One  and  the  same  spirit  seemed  to  animate  the 
Widow  Chupin,  Polyte,  Toinon,  the  virtuous,  and 
Mme.  Milner,  the  mistress  of  the  Hotel  de  Mariem- 
bourg. 

Their  depositions  proved  that  they  were  all  in  league 
with  the  accomplice ;  and  that  they  all  acted  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  same  policy.  But  what  did  this  knowledge 
avail ! 

The  attitude  of  these  witnesses  never  varied!  It 
might  happen,  sometimes,  that  their  looks  gave  the  lie 
to  their  denials ;  but  one  could  read  in  their  eyes  their 
unshaken  determination  to  conceal  the  truth. 

There  were  moments  when  the  judge,  overpowered 
by  a  sense  of  the  insufficiency  of  purely  moral  weapons, 
almost  regretted  the  overthrow  of  the  Inquisition. 

Yes,  in  the  presence  of  these  allegations,  whose  im- 


254  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

pudence  almost  amounted  to  insult,  he  no  longer  won* 
dered  at  the  barbarities  practised  by  the  judges  of  the 
Middle  Ages — the  rack  which  broke  the  muscles  of  its 
victims,  the  red-hot  pincers,  and  all  those  horrible  tort- 
ures which  tore  out  the  truth  with  the  flesh  itself. 

The  manner  of  the  murderer  was  unaltered,  or,  if  it 
were,  it  was  only  because  he  played  his  part  with 
greater  perfection  each  day,  like  a  man  who  has  be- 
come accustomed  to  strange  clothing,  and  who  is  no 
longer  made  uncomfortable  by  it. 

His  assurance  in  the  presence  of  the  judge  had  in- 
creased, as  if  he  were  more  sure  of  himself,  and  as  if  he 
had  in  some  way  learned  that  the  prosecution  had 
made  no  progress  whatever. 

During  one  of  his  later  examinations,  he  had  vent- 
ured to  say,  with  something  very  like  irony: 

"  Why  do  you  keep  me  so  long  in  the  secret  cells, 
Monsieur  le  Juge  ?  Am  I  never  to  be  set  at  liberty,  or 
sent  to  the  court  of  assizes?  Am  I  to  suffer  much 
longer  on  account  of  the  idea  that  has  taken  possession 
of  you  (how,  I  cannot  tell),  that  I  am  a  great  person- 
age?" 

"  I  shall  keep  you  until  you  have  confessed,"  M. 
Segmuller  had  responded. 

"  Confessed  what  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  you  know  very  well." 

This  strange  man  had  then  shrugged  his  shoulders, 
and  in  that  half-despondent,  half-mocking  tone  which 
was  habitual  to  him,  he  had  responded : 

"  In  that  case,  there  is  no  hope  of  my  ever  leaving 
this  accursed  prison !  " 

It  was  by  reason  of  this  conviction,  undoubtedly, 
that  he  seemed  to  be  making  preparations  for  an  indefi- 
nite stay. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  255 

He  had  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  portion  of  the  con- 
tents of  his  trunk ;  and  he  manifested  an  almost  child- 
ish joy  in  once  more  entering  into  possession  of  his 
property. 

Thanks  to  the  money  which  had  been  found  upon 
his  person  and  deposited  with  the  clerk,  he  was  able  to 
procure  many  little  luxuries,  which  are  never  denied 
prisoners  who  have  not  yet  been  tried  for  whatever 
may  be  the  charges  against  them ;  they  have  a  right 
to  be  considered  innocent  until  the  jury  has  decided  to 
the  contrary. 

To  pass  away  the  time,  he  had  asked  for  a  volume  of 
Beranger's  poems ;  and  as  his  request  had  been  grant- 
ed, he  spent  most  of  the  day  in  learning  the  songs  by 
heart,  and  in  singing  them,  in  a  loud  voice,  and  with 
considerable  taste. 

He  pretended  that  he  was  cultivating  a  talent  which 
would  be  useful  to  him  when  he  was  again  at  liberty. 

For  he  had  no  doubt  of  his  acquittal ;  at  least,  so  he 
declared. 

He  was  anxious  about  the  date  of  his  trial,  but  was 
not  in  the  least  anxious  about  the  result. 

He  appeared  despondent  only  when  he  spoke  of  his 
profession.  He  pined  for  the  stage.  He  almost  wept 
when  he  thought  of  his  fantastic,  many-colored  cos- 
tumes, of  his  audience,  and  of  his  sallies  of  wit,  accom- 
panied by  bursts  of  noisy  music. 

In  his  demeanor  he  had  become  more  frank,  more 
communicative,  more  submissive ;  in  short,  a  better 
fellow. 

It  was  with  marked  empressement  that  he  embraced 
every  opportunity  to  babble  about  his  past.  He  liked 
to  recount  his  adventures  during  his  roving  life  with 
M.  Simpson,  the  showman.  He  had,  of  course,  trav- 


256  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

elled  a  great  deal ;  and  he  remembered  all  he  had  seen, 
and  possessed  an  inexhaustible  fund  of  amusing 
stories,  with  which  he  entertained  his  keepers. 

And  every  word,  and  even  his  slightest  action,  was 
characterized  by  such  naturalness,  that  the  employees 
of  the  prison  no  longer  doubted  the  truth  of  his  asser- 
tions. 

The  head  keeper  was  more  difficult  to  convince. 

He  had  declared  that  this  pretended  buffoon  must 
be  a  dangerous  criminal  who  had  escaped  from  the 
galleys,  and  who  was  for  this  reason  determined  to  con- 
ceal his  antecedents.  Believing  this,  he  had  left  no 
means  untried  to  prove  it. 

For  more  than  a  fortnight  May  was  submitted  to  the 
scrutiny  of  members  of  the  police  force  and  detectives, 
public  and  private. 

Not  one  of  them  recognized  him.  His  photograph 
had  been  sent  to  all  the  prisons  and  police  head-quar- 
ters throughout  the  empire  ;  but  not  one  of  the  officials 
remembered  May's  features. 

Other  circumstances  occurred,  each  of  which  had 
its  influence,  and  they  all  spoke  in  favor  of  the  pris- 
oner. 

The  second  bureau  of  the  prefecture  found  positive 
traces  of  the  existence  of  a  foreign  artist,  named  Tring- 
lot,  who  was  probably  the  man  referred  to  in  May's 
story.  This  Tringlot  had  been  dead  several  years. 

Moreover,  inquiries  which  had  been  made  in  Ger- 
many revealed  the  fact  that  a  certain  M.  Simp- 
son was  very  well  known  in  that  country,  having 
achieved  great  renown  as  a  circus  manager. 

Before  so  many  proofs,  the  head  keeper  was  forced 
to  yield,  and  he  openly  confessed  that  he  had  been 
mistaken. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  257 

"  The  prisoner,  May,"  he  wrote  to  the  judge,  "  is 
really  and  truly  what  he  pretends  to  be.  There  can  be 
no  further  doubt  on  the  subject." 

This  was  done  at  the  suggestion  of  Gevrol. 

So  M.  Segmuller  and  Lecoq  remained  alone  in  their 
opinion. 

It  is  true  that  their  opinion  was  worthy,  at  least,  of 
consideration,  since  they  alone  knew  all  the  details  of 
the  investigation  which  had  been  conducted  with  strict 
secrecy. 

But  that  mattered  little.  To  struggle  on  against 
all  the  world  is  always  unpleasant,  and  not  a  little  dan- 
gerous, even  if  one  is  a  thousand  times  right. 

The  "  May  affair  "  had  become  notorious  among  the 
members  of  the  police  force ;  and  Lecoq  was  assailed 
by  rough  jokes  whenever  he  appeared  at  the  prefecture. 
Nor  did  the  judge  escape  entirely. 

More  than  one  colleague  on  meeting  him  in  the  cor- 
ridor, inquired,  with  a  smile,  what  he  had  done  with 
his  Gaspard  Hauser,  with  his  man  in  the  Iron  Mask, 
with  his  mysterious  mountebank. 

Both  M.  Segmuller  and  Lecoq  were  afflicted  with 
the  angry  impatience  every  man  feels  when  he  is  ab- 
solutely certain  that  he  is  right,  but  has  no  means  of 
proving  it. 

They  both  lost  their  appetites ;  they  grew  thin  and 
haggard. 

"  Mon  Dieu!"  exclaimed  the  judge,  sometimes, 
"  why  did  Escorval  fall  ?  Had  it  not  been  for  his  ac- 
cursed mishap,  he  would  have  been  obliged  to  endure 
these  perplexities,  and  I — I  should  be  enjoying  myself 
like  other  people." 

"  And  I  thought  myself  so  shrewd !  "  murmured  the 
young  detective. 


258  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

But  the  idea  of  yielding  never  once  occurred  to  them 
Although  their  temperaments  were  diametrically  op- 
posed to  each  other,  both  men  had  sworn  to  solve  this 
tantalizing  enigma. 

Lecoq,  indeed,  had  resolved  to  renounce  all  othe* 
claims  upon  his  time,  and  to  devote  himself  entirely 
to  the  study  of  this  case. 

"  Henceforth,"  he  said  to  M.  Segmuller,  "  I  also  con- 
stitute myself  a  prisoner ;  and  although  he  will  not  see 
me,  I  shall  not  lose  sight  of  him !  " 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

Between  the  cell  occupied  by  May  and  the  roof  of  the 
prison  was  a  loft,  the  ceiling  of  which  was  so  low,  that 
a  man  of  average  height  could  not  stand  upright  in  the 
room.  A  few  straggling  rays  of  sunlight  peering 
through  the  interstices  of  the  wall  relieved  the  dense 
gloom  but  slightly. 

In  this  unattractive  abode,  Lecoq,  one  fine  morning, 
established  himself. 

It  was  at  the  hour  when  the  prisoner  was  taking  his 
daily  walk,  under  the  surveillance  of  two  keepers,  and 
the  zealous  detective  could,  without  restraint,  proceed 
to  his  work  of  installation. 

Armed  with  a  pickaxe,  he  removed  two  or  three 
stones  from  the  floor,  making  a  small  aperture,  and 
then  set  himself  at  work  to  make  another  opening 
through  the  timbers  below. 

The  hole  which  he  made  was  in  the  form  of  a  tun- 
nel. Very  large  at  the  top,  it  had  dwindled  to  an  open- 
ing not  more  than  two-thirds  of  an  inch  in  diameter 
when  it  pierced  the  ceiling  of  the  cell  below. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  259 

The  place  where  this  aperture  was  made  had  been 
chosen  so  skilfully  in  advance  that  it  was  in  the  midst 
of  some  stains  and  patches  of  mould ;  hence,  it  was  im- 
possible for  the  prisoner  to  detect  it  from  below. 

While  Lecoq  was  at  work,  the  keeper  of  the  prison 
and  Gevrol,  who  had  insisted  upon  accompanying  him, 
appeared  upon  the  threshold  of  the  loft,  laughing  and 
sneering. 

"  So  this  is  to  be  your  observatory,  Monsieur  Le- 
coq ?  "  remarked  Gevrol. 

"  Yes,  Monsieur." 

"  You  will  not  be  very  comfortable  here." 

"  I  shall  be  less  uncomfortable  than  you  suppose.  I 
have  brought  a  large  blanket,  and  I  shall  stretch  my- 
self out  upon  the  floor  and  sleep  here." 

"  So  that,  night  and  day,  you  will  have  your  eye  on 
the  prisoner?  " 

"  Yes,  night  and  day." 

"  Without  giving  yourself  time  to  eat  or  drink  ?  " 
inquired  Gevrol. 

"  Pardon !  Father  Absinthe  will  bring  me  my 
meals,  execute  any  commissions  I  may  have,  and  take 
my  place  on  guard,  if  necessary." 

The  jealous  general  laughed  loudly;  but  the  laugh 
was  a  trifle  constrained. 

"  Well,  I  pity  you,"  he  said. 

"  Very  possibly." 

"  Do  you  know  what  you  will  look  like  with  your 
eye  glued  to  that  hole  ?  " 

"  Say  it !     You  need  be  under  no  constraint." 

"  Ah,  well !  you  will  look  like  one  of  those  silly  nat- 
uralists who  put  all  sorts  of  little  insects  under  a  mag- 
nifying glass,  and  spend  their  lives  in  watching  them." 

Lecoq  had  finished  his  work ;  he  rose  from  the  floor. 


26o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  No  comparison  could  be  more  just,  General,"  he 
replied.  "  You  have  guessed  it.  To  these  natural- 
ists, of  whom  you  speak  so  slightingly,  I  owe  the  idea 
I  am  about  putting  into  execution.  By  dint  of  study- 
ing these  little  creatures — as  you  say — under  a  micro- 
scope, these  patient  and  gifted  men  are  enabled  to  dis- 
cover the  habits  and  the  instincts  of  the  insect  world. 
Very  well.  What  they  can  do  with  an  insect,  I  will 
do  with  a  man !  " 

"  Oh  ho!  "  said  the  keeper,  considerably  astonished. 

"  Yes,  that  is  my  plan,  Monsieur,"  continued  Lecoq. 
"  I  wish  to  learn  this  prisoner's  secret ;  I  will  have  it. 
I  have  sworn  it,  and  I  shall  have  it,  because,  however 
strong  his  courage  may  be,  he  will  have  his  moments 
of  weakness,  and  then  I  shall  be  there.  I  shall  be 
there ;  if  his  will  fails  him,  if  believing  himself  alone  he 
lets  his  mask  fall  for  a  moment,  if  he  forgets  his  part 
for  an  instant,  if  some  indiscreet  word  escapes  him  in 
his  slumber,  if  despair  elicits  a  groan,  a  gesture,  a  look 
— I  shall  be  there." 

The  implacable  resolution  that  vibrated  in  the  young 
man's  voice  made  a  deep  impression  upon  the  keeper. 

For  an  instant  he  was  a  believer  in  Lecoq's  theory ; 
and  he  was  impressed  by  the  strangeness  of  this  con- 
flict between  a  prisoner,  determined  to  preserve  the 
secret  of  his  personality,  and  the  prosecution,  equally 
determined  to  wrest  it  from  him. 

"  Upon  my  word !  my  boy,  you  are  not  wanting  in 
courage  and  energy." 

"  Although  it  is  misdirected,"  growled  Gevrol. 

He  made  this  remark  very  slowly  and  deliberately; 
but  in  his  secret  soul  he  was  by  no  means  convinced 
of  its  truth.  Faith  is  contagious,  and  he  was  troubled, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  261 

in  spite  of  himself,  by  Lecoq's  imperturbable  assur- 
ance. 

What  if  this  debutant  in  his  profession  should  be 
right,  and  he,  Gevrol,  the  oracle  of  the  prefecture, 
wrong!  What  shame  and  ridicule  would  be  his  por- 
tion! 

But  once  again  he  inwardly  swore  that  this  inexperi- 
enced man  could  be  no  match  for  an  old  veteran,  and 
he  added : 

"  The  chief  of  police  must  have  more  money  than 
he  knows  what  to  do  with,  to  pay  two  men  for  such  a 
nonsensical  job  as  this." 

Lecoq  did  not  reply  to  this  slighting  remark.  For 
more  than  a  fortnight  the  general  had  improved  every 
opportunity  of  making  himself  disagreeable  so  well, 
that  the  young  man  doubted  his  power  to  control  his 
temper  if  the  discussion  were  continued. 

It  would  be  better  to  keep  silence,  and  to  work  and 
wait  for  success.  To  succeed !  that  would  be  revenge 
enough ! 

Moreover,  he  was  impatient  to  see  these  unwelcome 
visitors  depart.  Perhaps  he  believed  that  Gevrol  was 
quite  capable  of  attracting  the  prisoner's  attention  by 
some  unusual  sound. 

As  soon  as  they  went  away,  Lecoq  hastily  spread 
his  blanket,  and  stretched  himself  out  upon  it  in  such 
a  position  that  he  could  alternately  apply  his  eye  and 
his  ear  to  the  aperture. 

In  this  position  he  had  an  admirable  view  of  the  cell 
below.  He  could  see  the  door,  the  bed,  the  table,  the 
chair ;  only  the  small  space  near  the  window  and  the 
window  itself  were  beyond  his  range  of  observation. 

He  had  scarcely  completed  his  survey,  when  he 


262  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

heard  the  bolts  rattle ;  the  prisoner  was  returning  from 
his  walk. 

He  seemed  in  excellent  spirits,  and  was  just  com- 
pleting what  was,  undoubtedly,  a  very  interesting 
story,  since  the  keeper  lingered  for  a  moment  to  hear 
the  conclusion.  Lecoq  was  delighted  with  the  success 
of  his  experiment.  He  could  hear  as  easily  as  he  could 
see.  Each  sound  reached  his  ear  distinctly;  he  had 
not  lost  a  single  word  of  the  recital,  which  was  amus- 
ing, but  rather  coarse. 

The  guard  departed.  May  walked  across  his  cell  a 
few  times,  then  took  up  his  volume  of  "  Beranger," 
and  for  an  hour  or  more  seemed  completely  engrossed 
in  its  contents.  Finally,  he  threw  himself  down  upon 
the  bed. 

He  remained  there  until  the  hour  of  his  evening  re- 
past, when  he  rose  and  ate  with  an  excellent  appetite. 
Then  he  resumed  the  study  of  his  book,  and  did  not 
go  to  bed  until  the  lights  were  extinguished. 

Lecoq  knew  that  during  the  night  his  eyes  would  not 
serve  him,  but,  for  all  that,  he  hoped  that  some  tell-tale 
word  would  escape  the  prisoner. 

In  this  expectation  he  was  disappointed.  May 
tossed  restlessly  upon  his  pallet;  he  sighed,  and  one 
might  have  thought  that  he  was  sobbing,  but  not  a  syl- 
lable escaped  his  lips. 

He  remained  in  bed  until  very  late  the  next  morn- 
ing ;  but  on  hearing  the  bell  sound  the  hour  of  break- 
fast, eleven  o'clock,  he  sprang  from  his  couch  with  a 
bound,  and  after  capering  about  his  cell  for  a  few  mo- 
ments, he  began  to  sing,  in  a  loud  and  cheerful  voice, 
the  old  ditty : 

1  Diogene 
Sous  ton  manteau 
Libre  et  content,  je  ris,  je  bois,  sans  gene •" 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  263 

He  did  not  cease  his  singing  until  the  keeper  entered 
his  cell  to  bring  him  his  breakfast. 

The  day  differed  in  no  respect  from  the  one  that  had 
preceded  it,  nor  did  the  night.  The  same  might  be 
said  of  the  next  day  and  of  the  days  which  followed  it. 

To  sing,  to  eat,  to  sleep,  to  care  for  his  hands  and  his 
nails — such  was  the  life  of  the  so-called  buffoon.  His 
manner,  which  never  varied,  was  that  of  a  naturally 
cheerful  man,  terribly  bored. 

Such  was  the  perfection  of  this  enigmatical  person's 
acting,  that  Lecoq,  after  six  days  and  nights  of  con- 
stant surveillance,  had  detected  nothing  decisive,  nor 
even  surprising. 

Yet  he  did  not  despair.  He  had  noticed  that,  every 
morning,  while  the  employees  of  the  prison  were  busy 
in  distributing  the  food  of  the  prisoners,  this  man  re- 
peated his  song  of  Diogenes. 

"  Evidently  this  song  is  a  signal,"  Lecoq  said  to 
himself.  "  What  is  going  on  there  by  the  window  that 
I  cannot  see  ?  I  will  know  to-morrow." 

The  following  morning  he  arranged  that  May 
should  be  taken  on  his  morning  walk  at  half-past  ten 
o'clock,  and  he  then  insisted  that  the  keeper  should 
accompany  him  to  the  prisoner's  cell. 

That  worthy  functionary  was  not  very  well  pleased 
with  this  change  in  the  usual  order  of  things. 

"  What  do  you  wish  to  show  me  ? "  he  asked. 
"  What  is  it  that  is  so  very  curious  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  nothing,"  replied  Lecoq ;  "  perhaps  some- 
thing of  great  importance." 

Eleven  o'clock  sounding  soon  after,  he  began  sing- 
ing the  prisoner's  song : 

"  Diogene 
Sous  ton  manteau *" 


264  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

He  had  scarcely  finished  the  second  line,  when  a  bit 
of  bread,  no  larger  than  a  bullet,  adroitly  thrown 
through  the  window,  dropped  at  his  feet. 

A  thunder-bolt  falling  in  May's  cell  would  not  have 
terrified  the  superintendent  as  much  as  did  this  inof- 
fensive projectile. 

He  stood  in  silent  dismay,  his  mouth  wide  open,  his 
eyes  starting  from  their  sockets,  as  if  he  distrusted  the 
evidence  of  his  own  senses. 

What  a  disgrace !  An  instant  before  he  would  have 
staked  his  life  upon  the  inviolability  of  the  secret  cells. 
He  beheld  his  prison  dishonored — sneered  at. 

"  A  communication !  a  communication !  "  he  repeat- 
ed, with  a  horrified  air. 

Quick  as  lightning,  Lecoq  picked  up  the  missile  and 
held  it  up  in  triumph. 

"  I  said  this  man  was  in  communication  with  his 
friends,"  he  murmured. 

Lecoq's  evident  delight  changed  the  superintend- 
ent's stupor  into  fury. 

"  Ah !  my  prisoners  are  writing !  "  he  exclaimed, 
wild  with  passion.  "  My  guards  are  acting  as  post- 
men !  By  my  faith,  this  matter  shall  be  looked  into." 

He  rushed  toward  the  door ;  Lecoq  stopped  him. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do,  Monsieur?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  am  going  to  call  all  the  employees  of  this  prison 
together,  and  inform  them  that  there  is  a  traitor  among 
them,  and  that  I  must  know  who  he  is,  as  I  wish  to 
make  an  example  of  him.  And  if,  in  twenty-four 
hours  from  now,  the  culprit  has  not  been  discovered, 
every  man  connected  with  this  prison  shall  be  re- 
moved." 

Again  he  started  to  leave  the  room,  and  Lecoq,  this 
time,  had  almost  to  use  force  to  detain  him. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  265 

"  Be  calm,  sir ;  be  calm,"  he  entreated. 

"  I  will  punish— 

"  Yes,  yes,  I  understand  that,  but  wait  until  you  have 
regained  your  self-possession.  It  is  possible  that  the 
guilty  party  may  be  one  of  the  prisoners  who  aid  in  the 
distribution  of  food  every  morning." 

"  What  does  that  matter  ?  " 

"  Pardon !  It  matters  a  great  deal.  If  you  noise 
this  discovery  abroad,  if  you  say  a  single  word  about 
it,  we  shall  never  discover  the  truth.  The  traitor  will 
not  be  fool  enough  to  confess  his  guilt.  We  must  be 
silent  and  wait.  We  will  keep  a  close  watch  and  de- 
tect the  culprit  in  the  very  act." 

These  objections  were  so  sensible  that  the  keeper 
yielded. 

"  So  be  it,"  he  sighed.  "  I  will  be  patient.  But 
let  us  see  the  missive  that  was  enclosed  in  this  morsel 
of  bread." 

Lecoq  would  not  consent  to  this  proposition. 

"  I  warned  Monsieur  Segmuller  that  there  would 
probably  be  some  new  developments  this  morning; 
and  he  must  be  waiting  for  me  in  his  office.  I  must 
reserve  the  pleasure  of  opening  this  envelope  for  him." 

The  superintendent's  face  clouded.  He  would  have 
given  a  great  deal  could  he  have  kept  this  affair  a  se- 
cret ;  but  that  was  entirely  out  of  the  question. 

"  Let  us  go  and  find  the  judge,  then,"  said  he,  de- 
spondently. 

They  started,  and  on  their  way  Lecoq  endeavored 
to  convince  the  worthy  man  that  he  was  quite  wrong 
to  deplore  a  circumstance  which  would  be  of  incalcu- 
lable benefit  to  the  prosecution.  Had  he,  until  now, 
supposed  himself  more  cunning  than  his  prisoners? 
What  an  illusion !  Had  not  the  ingenuity  of  the  pris- 


266  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

oner  always  defied,  and  will  it  not  always  defy,  the 
•finesse  of  his  guardians? 

But  they  had  reached  the  office,  and  at  the  sight  of 
them,  M.  Segmuller  and  his  clerk  both  sprang  from 
their  seats.  They  read  startling  news  in  the  face  of  the 
young  detective. 

"  What  is  it?  "  demanded  the  judge,  eagerly. 

Lecoq's  sole  response  was  to  place  the  precious  mor- 
sel of  bread  upon  the  desk.  The  judge  opened  it. 

It  contained  a  tiny  scrap  of  the  thinnest  tissue-paper. 

M.  Segmuller  unfolded  it,  and  smoothed  it  upon  the 
palm  of  his  hand.  As  soon  as  he  glanced  at  it,  his 
brow  contracted. 

"  Ah !  this  note  is  written  in  cipher,"  he  exclaimed, 
striking  his  clinched  fist  violently  upon  his  desk. 

"  We  must  not  lose  patience,"  said  Lecoq,  tran- 
quilly. 

He  took  the  slip  of  paper,  and  read  aloud  the  num- 
bers that  were  inscribed  upon  it.  They  were  as  fol- 
lows, separated  by  commas : 

235>  15.  3»  8>  25>  2,  1 6,  208,  5,  360,  4,  36,  19,  7,  14, 
1 1 8,  84,23,9,40,  11,  99. 

"  And  so  we  shall  learn  nothing  from  this  note," 
murmured  the  keeper. 

"  Why  not  ?  "  responded  the  smiling  clerk.  "  There 
is  no  system  of  cipher  which  cannot  be  read  with  a  little 
skill  and  patience.  There  are  some  people  who  make 
it  their  business." 

"  You  are  right,"  approved  Lecoq.  "  And  I  myself 
once  had  a  knack  at  it." 

"  What !  "  exclaimed  the  judge ;  "  do  you  hope  to 
find  the  key  to  this  cipher  ?  " 

"  With  time,  yes." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  267 

He  was  about  placing  the  paper  in  his  breast-pocket, 
but  the  judge  begged  him  to  examine  it  further. 

He  did  so ;  and  after  a  little,  his  face  brightened,  and, 
striking  his  forehead  with  his  open  palm,  he  cried : 

"I  have  found  it!" 

An  exclamation  of  surprise,  and  possibly  of  incre- 
dulity, escaped  the  judge,  the  keeper,  and  the  clerk. 

"  At  least  I  think  so,"  added  Lecoq,  more  cautious- 
ly. "  The  prisoner  and  his  accomplice  have,  if  I  am 
not  mistaken,  adopted  the  system  called  the  double 
book  cipher.  This  system  is  very  simple. 

"  The  correspondents  first  agree  upon  some  particu- 
lar book,  and  both  obtain  a  copy  of  the  same  edition. 

"  What  if  one  desires  to  communicate  with  the 
other? 

"  He  opens  the  book  hap-hazard,  and  begins  by  writ- 
ing the  number  of  the  page. 

"  Then  he  must  seek,  upon  that  page,  the  words 
necessary  to  give  expression  to  his  thought.  If  the 
first  word  which  he  desires  to  write  is  the  twentieth 
word  printed  on  the  page,  he  writes  the  number  20; 
then  he  begins  to  count  one,  two,  three,  until  he  finds 
the  next  word  that  he  wishes  to  use.  If  this  word  hap- 
pens to  be  the  sixth,  he  writes  the  figure  6;  and  he 
continues  in  this  way  until  he  has  written  all  he  wishes 
to  communicate. 

"  You  see,  now,  how  the  correspondent  who  receives 
this  mission  must  begin.  He  finds  the  page  indicated, 
and  each  figure  represents  a  word." 

"  Nothing  could  be  more  clear,"  said  the  judge,  ap- 
provingly. 

"  If  this  note  that  I  hold  here,"  pursued  Lecoq,  "  had 
been  exchanged  between  two  persons  who  were  at  lib- 
erty, it  would  be  folly  to  attempt  its  translation.  This 


268  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

simple  system  is  the  only  one  which  has  completely 
baffled  the  efforts  of  the  curious,  simply  because  there 
is  no  way  of  ascertaining  the  book  agreed  upon. 

"  But  such  is  not  the  case  here ;  May  is  a  prisoner, 
and  he  has  but  one  book  in  his  possession,  '  The  Songs 
of  Beranger.'  Let  this  book  be  sent  for " 

The  keeper  was  actually  enthusiastic. 

"  I  will  run  and  fetch  it  myself,"  he  interrupted. 

But  Lecoq,  with  a  gesture,  detained  him. 

"  Above  all,  Monsieur,  take  care  that  May  does  not 
discover  his  book  has  been  tampered  with.  If  he  has 
returned  from  his  promenade,  make  some  excuse  to 
have  him  sent  out  of  his  cell  again ;  and  do  not  allow 
him  to  return  there  while  we  are  using  his  book." 

"  Oh,  trust  me !  "  replied  the  superintendent. 

He  left  the  room,  and  so  intense  was  his  zeal,  that 
he  was  back  again  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour, 
bringing  in  triumph  a  little  volume  in  32mo. 

With  a  trembling  hand,  Lecoq  opened  to  page  235 
and  began  to  count. 

The  fifteenth  word  on  the  page  was  7;  the  third  after, 
was  the  word  have;  the  eighth  following  that,  was  told; 
the  twenty-fifth,  her;  the  second,  your;  the  sixteenth, 
wishes. 

Hence,  the  meaning  of  those  six  numbers  was : 

"  I  have  told  her  your  wishes." 

The  three  persons  who  had  witnessed  this  display 
of  shrewdness  could  not  restrain  their  admiration. 

"  Bravo !  Lecoq,"  exclaimed  the  judge. 

"  I  will  no  longer  bet  a  hundred  to  one  on  May," 
thought  the  clerk. 

But  Lecoq  was  still  busily  engaged  in  deciphering 
the  missive,  and  soon,  in  a  voice  trembling  with  grati- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  269 

fied  vanity,  he  read  the  entire  note  aloud.     It  was  as 
follows : 

"  I  have  told  her  your  wishes ;  she  submits.  Our 
safety  is  assured ;  we  are  waiting  your  orders  to  act. 
Hope !  Courage !  " 


CHAPTER  XXXIII 

What  a  disappointment,  after  the  fever  of  anxiety 
and  expectation  that  had  held  the  witnesses  of  this 
scene  motionless  and  breathless  ! 

This  short  and  unintelligible  epistle  afforded  no  in- 
formation whatever  upon  the  subject  in  which  all  pres- 
ent were  so  deeply  interested. 

The  light  of  hope  which  had  sparkled  in  M.  Seg- 
muller's  eye  a  moment  before,  faded ;  and  Coquet  re- 
turned to  his  former  opinion,  that  the  prisoner  had  the 
advantage  over  his  accusers. 

"  How  unfortunate,"  remarked  the  superintendent, 
with  a  shade  of  sarcasm  in  his  voice,  "  that  so  much 
trouble  and  such  marvellous  penetration  should  be 
wasted !  " 

Lecoq,  whose  confidence  seemed  unalterable,  re- 
garding him  with  a  bantering  air,  replied : 

"  So  Monsieur  thinks  I  have  wasted  my  time !  Such 
is  not  my  opinion.  This  scrap  of  paper  undeniably 
proves  that  if  any  person  has  been  mistaken  in  regard 
to  the  identity  of  the  prisoner,  it  certainly  was  not  I." 

"  Very  well.  Monsieur  Gevrol  and  I  may  have 
been  mistaken;  no  one  is  infallible.  But  have  you 
learned  anything  more  than  you  knew  before  ?  Have 
you  made  any  progress  ?  " 

"  Why,  yes,  Monsieur.     Now  that  people  know  the 


270  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

prisoner  is  not  what  he  pretends  to  be,  instead  of  an- 
noying and  hampering  me,  perhaps  they  wiJl  aid  to 
discover  who  he  really  is." 

Lecoq's  tone,  and  his  allusion  to  the  difficulties  he 
had  encountered,  wounded  the  keeper.  But  precisely 
because  he  felt  the  blood  mount  to  his  forehead  under 
this  just  reproof,  he  resolved  to  cut  short  this  discus- 
sion with  an  inferior. 

"  You  are  right,"  said  he,  sarcastically.  "  This  May 
must  be  a  very  great  and  illustrious  personage.  Only, 
my  dear  Monsieur  Lecoq  (for  there  is  an  only),  do  me 
the  favor  to  explain  how  such  an  important  personage 
could  disappear  and  the  police  not  be  advised  of  it  ?  A 
man  of  rank,  such  as  you  suppose  this  prisoner  to  be, 
usually  has  a  family,  friends,  relatives,  proteges,  and 
extended  connections ;  and  yet  not  a  single  person  has 
lifted  his  voice  during  the  three  weeks  that  this  May 
has  been  under  my  charge!  Come,  admit  that  you 
have  not  thought  of  this." 

The  keeper  had  just  advanced  the  only  serious  ob- 
jection that  could  be  found  against  the  theory  ad- 
vanced by  the  prosecution. 

But  Lecoq  had  seen  it  before.  It  had  not  been  once 
out  of  his  mind ;  and  he  had  racked  his  brain  to  find 
some  satisfactory  explanation. 

Undoubtedly  he  would  have  made  some  angry  re- 
tort, as  people  are  wont  to  do  when  their  antagonists 
discover  the  weak  spot  in  their  armor,  had  not  M.  Seg- 
muller  interposed. 

"  All  these  recriminations  do  no  good,"  he  remarked, 
calmly ;  "  we  can  make  no  progress  while  these  con- 
tinue. It  would  be  much  wiser  to  decide  upon  the 
course  to  be  pursued  under  the  present  circumstances." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  271 

Thus  reminded  of  the  present  situation  of  affairs,  the 
young  man  smiled ;  all  his  rancor  was  forgotten. 

"  There  is,  I  think,  but  one  course  to  pursue,"  he 
replied,  modestly ;  "  and  I  believe  it  will  be  successful 
by  reason  of  its  simplicity.  We  must  substitute  a 
communication  of  our  own  composition  for  this  one. 
That  will  not  be  at  all  difficult,  since  I  have  the  key  to 
the  cipher.  I  shall  only  be  obliged  to  purchase  a  sim- 
ilar volume  of  Beranger's  songs ;  and  May,  believing 
that  he  is  addressing  his  accomplice,  will  respond  in  all 
sincerity,  and  will  reveal  everything,  perhaps " 

"  Pardon !  "  interrupted  the  keeper,  "  how  will  you 
obtain  possession  of  his  reply  ?  " 

"  Ah !  you  ask  me  too  much.  I  know  the  way 
in  which  his  letters  have  reached  him.  For  the  rest, 
I  will  watch  and  find  a  way ;  never  fear !  " 

Coquet  could  not  conceal  an  approving  grin.  If  he 
had  happened  to  have  ten  francs  on  hand,  he  would 
have  risked  them  all  on  Lecoq  just  then. 

"  First,  I  will  replace  this  missive  by  one  of  my  own 
composition.  To-morrow,  at  the  breakfast  hour,  if 
the  prisoner  gives  the  signal,  Father  Absinthe  will 
throw  the  morsel  of  bread  enclosing  the  note  through 
the  window,  while  I  from  my  observatory  watch  the 
effect." 

He  was  so  delighted  with  this  plan  that  he  at  once 
rang  the  bell,  and  when  the  messenger  appeared,  he 
gave  him  a  ten-sous  piece  and  requested  him  to  go  at 
once  and  purchase  some  of  the  thinnest  tissue-paper. 

When  he  was  in  possession  of  the  paper,  which  was 
apparently  exactly  like  that  upon  which  the  note  was 
written,  he  seated  himself  at  the  clerk's  desk,  and, 
armed  with  the  volume  of  Beranger's  poems,  he  began 
the  composition  of  his  missive,  copying  as  closely  as 


272  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

possible  the  forms  of  the  figures  used  by  the  unknown 
correspondent. 

This  task  did  not  occupy  him  more  than  ten  minutes. 
Fearing  to  commit  some  blunder,  he  reproduced  the 
words  of  the  original  letter,  with  but  little  change  in 
the  words  themselves,  but  with  an  entire  change  of 
meaning. 

His  note  read  as  follows : 

"  I  have  told  her  your  wishes ;  she  does  not  submit. 
Our  safety  is  threatened.  We  are  awaiting  your 
orders.  I  tremble." 

When  this  was  completed,  he  rolled  up  the  paper, 
and  enclosing  it  in  the  fragment  of  bread,  he  said : 

"  To-morrow  we  shall  learn  something." 

To-morrow !  The  twenty-four  hours  that  separated 
the  young  man  from  the  decisive  moment  seemed  a 
century.  What  expedients  he  resorted  to,  in  order  to 
hasten  the  slow  passage  of  time ! 

He  explained  to  Father  Absinthe  clearly  and  mi- 
nutely what  he  would  have  to  do,  and,  sure  of  being 
understood,  and  certain  that  he  would  be  obeyed,  he 
went  back  to  his  loft. 

The  evening  seemed  long,  and  the  night  intermina- 
ble, for  he  found  it  impossible  to  close  an  eyelid. 

He  rose  at  daybreak  and  saw  that  his  prisoner  was 
awake  and  was  sitting  on  the  foot  of  the  bed.  Soon  he 
sprang  up  and  paced  restlessly  to  and  fro.  He  was 
evidently  in  an  unusually  agitated  frame  of  mind ;  he 
gesticulated  wildly,  and  at  intervals  certain  words — al- 
ways the  same  words — escaped  his  lips. 

"  What  misery !  My  God !  what  misery !  "  he  re- 
peated again  and  again. 

"  Ah !  my  boy,"  thought  Lecoq,  "  you  are  anxious 
about  the  daily  letter  which  you  failed  to  receive.  Pa- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  273 

tience,  patience!  One  of  my  writing  will  soon  ar- 
rive." 

At  last  the  young  detective  heard  the  stir  that  al- 
ways preceded  the  distribution  of  food.  People  were 
running  to  and  fro,  sabots  clicked  noisily  in  the  corri- 
dors, the  guards  were  talking  loudly. 

Eleven  o'clock  was  sounded  by  the  old  clock;  the 
prisoner  began  his  song : 

"  Diogene 
Sous  ton  manteau, 
Libre  et  content " 


He  did  not  finish  the  third  line;  the  slight  sound 
caused  by  the  fragment  of  bread  as  it  fell  upon  the 
stone  floor  made  him  pause  suddenly. 

Lecoq,  at  the  opening  in  the  ceiling  above,  was 
holding  his  breath,  and  watching  with  all  his  eyes. 

He  did  not  miss  a  single  movement  of  the  prisoner — 
not  so  much  as  the  quiver  of  an  eyelid. 

May  looked  first  at  the  window,  then  all  about  him, 
as  if  it  were  impossible  for  him  to  explain  the  arrival 
of  this  projectile. 

It  was  not  until  some  little  time  had  elapsed  that  he 
decided  to  pick  it  up.  He  held  it  in  the  hollow  of  his 
hand,  and  examined  it  with  apparent  curiosity.  His 
features  expressed  the  most  profound  surprise.  One 
would  have  sworn  that  he  was  innocent  of  all  com- 
plicity. 

Soon  a  smile  appeared  upon  his  lips.  With  a  slight 
shrug  of  the  shoulders,  which  might  be  interpreted : 
"  Am  I  a  fool  ?  "  and  with  a  rapid  movement,  he  broke 
open  the  morsel  of  bread.  The  sight  of  the  paper 
which  it  contained  seemed  to  amaze  him. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean  ? "  wondered  Lecoq. 


274  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  prisoner  had  opened  the  note,  and  was  examin- 
ing, with  knitted  brows,  the  figures  which  were  appar- 
ently destitute  of  all  meaning  to  him. 

Then  suddenly  he  rushed  to  the  door  of  his  cell,  and, 
hammering  upon  it  with  his  fists,  he  cried: 

"  Here !  guard !  here !  " 

A  keeper  came  running,  in  answer  to  the  summons. 
Lecoq  heard  his  footsteps  in  the  corridor. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  the  man  cried,  through  the 
opening  in  the  cell  door. 

"  I  wish  to  speak  to  the  judge." 

"  Very  well.     He  shall  be  informed." 

"  Immediately,  if  you  please.  I  wish  to  make  some 
revelations." 

"  He  shall  be  sent  for  immediately." 

Lecoq  waited  to  hear  no  more. 

He  tore  down  the  narrow  staircase  leading  from  the 
loft,  and  rushed  to  the  Palais  de  Justice  to  tell  M.  Seg- 
muller  what  had  happened. 

"  What  can  this  mean  ?  "  he  wondered,  as  he  went. 
"  Are  we  indeed  approaching  a  denouement  ?  This 
much  is  certain,  the  prisoner  was  not  deceived  by  my 
note.  He  could  decipher  it  only  with  the  aid  of  his 
volume  of  '  Beranger ; '  he  has  not  touched  the  book, 
therefore  he  has  not  read  the  note." 

M.  Segmuller  was  no  less  amazed  than  the  young 
detective.  Together  they  hastened  to  the  prison,  fol- 
lowed by  the  clerk,  who  was  the  judge's  inevitable 
shadow. 

They  had  reached  the  end  of  the  galerie  d'mstruc- 
tion,  when  they  encountered  the  keeper,  who  was  com- 
ing all  in  a  flutter,  greatly  excited  by  that  important 
word,  "  revelation." 

The  worthy  official  undoubtedly  wished  to  make 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  275 

known  his  opinion ;  but  the  judge  checked  him  by  say- 
ing: 

"  I  know  all  about  it ;  and  I  am  coming." 

When  they  had  reached  the  narrow  corridor  leading 
to  the  secret  cells,  Lecoq  passed  on  in  advance  of  the 
rest  of  the  party. 

He  said  to  himself  that  by  stealing  upon  him  una- 
wares, he  might  possibly  find  the  prisoner  engaged  in 
surreptitiously  reading  the  note ;  and  that,  in  any  case, 
he  would  have  an  opportunity  to  glance  at  the  interior 
of  the  cell. 

May  was  seated  by  the  table,  his  head  resting  upon 
his  hands. 

At  the  grating  of  the  bolt,  drawn  by  the  hand  of  the 
head  keeper  himself,  he  rose,  smoothed  his  hair,  and 
remained  standing  in  a  respectful  attitude,  apparently 
waiting  for  the  visitors  to  address  him. 

"  Did  you  send  for  me  ?  "  inquired  the  judge. 

"  Yes,  Monsieur." 

"  You  have,  I  understand,  some  revelation  to  make 
to  me." 

"  I  have  something  of  importance  to  tell  you." 

"  Very  well !  these  gentlemen  will  retire." 

M.  Segmuller  had  already  turned  to  Lecoq  and  the 
keeper  to  request  them  to  withdraw,  when  a  move- 
ment from  the  prisoner  checked  his  words. 

"  It  is  not  necessary,"  May  remarked ;  "  I  am,  on  the 
contrary,  very  well  pleased  to  speak  before  everybody." 

"  Speak,  then." 

May  did  not  oblige  him  to  repeat  the  order.  He 
assumed  a  three-quarters  position,  inflated  his  chest, 
threw  his  head  back,  as  he  had  done  from  the  very  be- 
ginning of  his  examinations  when  he  wished  to  make  a 
display  of  his  eloquence. 


276  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  It  shall  be  for  you  to  say,  gentlemen,  whether  I 
am  or  am  not  an  honest  man.  The  profession  matters 
little.  One  can,  perhaps,  be  the  clown  of  a  travelling 
show,  and  yet  be  an  honest' man — a  man  of  honor." 

"  Oh,  spare  us  your  reflections !  " 

"  Very  well,  Monsieur,  that  suits  me  exactly.  To 
be  brief,  then,  here  is  a  little  paper  which  was  thrown 
into  my  cell  a  few  moments  ago.  There  are  numbers 
upon  it  which  may  mean  something;  but  I  have  ex- 
amined it,  and  it  is  all  Greek  to  me." 

He  handed  it  to  the  judge,  and  added : 

"  It  was  rolled  up  in  a  bit  of  bread." 

The  violence  of  this  unexpected  blow  struck  his  visi- 
tors dumb ;  but  the  prisoner,  without  seeming  to  notice 
the  effect  he  had  produced,  continued : 

"  I  suppose  that  the  person  who  threw  it  made  a 
mistake  in  the  window.  I  know  very  well  that  it  is  a 
mean  piece  of  business  to  denounce  a  companion  in 
prison.  It  is  cowardly;  and  one  is  very  likely  to  get 
himself  into  trouble  ;  but  a  man  must  be  prudent,  when 
he  is  accused  of  being  an  assassin  as  I  am,  and  when 
he  is  threatened  with  a  great  unpleasantness." 

A  terribly  significant  gesture  of  severing  the  head 
from  the  body  left  no  doubt  whatever  of  what  he 
meant  by  an  unpleasantness. 

"  And  yet  I  am  innocent,"  he  murmured. 

The  judge,  by  this  time,  had  recovered  the  full  pos- 
session of  his  faculties.  He  concentrated  in  one 
glance  all  the  power  of  his  will,  and,  looking  intently 
at  the  prisoner : 

"  You  lie !  "  he  said,  slowly ;  "  it  was  for  you  that  this 
note  was  intended." 

"  For  me !  Then  I  must  be  the  greatest  of  fools,  or 
why  should  I  have  called  you  to  show  it  to  you  ?  For 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  277 

me?  In  that  case,  why  did  I  not  keep  it  ?  Who  knew, 
who  could  know  that  I  had  received  it  ?  " 

All  this  was  said  with  such  a  marvellous  semblance 
of  honesty,  his  gaze  was  so  frank  and  open,  his  voice 
rang  so  true,  his  reasoning  was  so  specious,  that  the 
keeper's  doubts  returned. 

"  And  what  if  I  could  prove  that  you  are  uttering  a 
falsehood  ?  "  insisted  M.  Segmuller.  "  What  if  I  could 
prove  it,  here  and  now  ?  " 

"  You  would  be  the  liar !  Oh !  Monsieur,  pardon ! 
Excuse  me ;  I  mean " 

But  the  judge  was  not  in  a  frame  of  mind  to  stickle 
for  nicety  of  expression. 

He  motioned  May  to  be  silent ;  and,  turning  to  Le- 
coq,  he  said : 

"  Show  the  prisoner  that  you  have  discovered  the 
key  to  his  secret  correspondence." 

A  sudden  change  passed  over  the  features  of  the  ac- 
cused. 

"  Ah !  it  is  this  agent  of  police  who  has  found  it,"  he 
said,  in  an  altered  tone.  "  The  same  agent  who  as- 
sures me  that  I  am  a  grand  seigneur." 

He  turned  disdainfully  to  Lecoq,  and  added : 

"  Under  these  circumstances,  there  is  no  help  for 
me.  When  the  police  are  absolutely  determined  that 
a  man  shall  be  guilty,  it  will  be  proved  that  he  is  guilty ; 
everybody  knows  that.  And  when  a  prisoner  receives 
no  letters,  an  agent,  who  wishes  such  to  be  the  case, 
knows  how  to  send  them  to  him." 

There  was  such  an  expression  of  contempt  upon  the 
prisoner's  face  that  Lecoq  could  scarcely  refrain  from 
making  an  angry  reply. 

He  restrained  this  desire,  however,  in  obedience  to 
a  warning  gesture  from  the  judge,  and,  taking  from 


278  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

the  table  the  volume  of  Beranger,  he  endeavored  to 
prove  to  the  prisoner  that  each  number  in  the  note 
corresponded  to  a  word  on  the  page  indicated,  and 
that  all  these  words  formed  an  intelligible  whole. 

This  overpowering  evidence  did  not  seem  to  trouble 
May  in  the  least.  After  expressing  the  same  admira- 
tion for  this  novel  system  of  correspondence  that  a 
child  would  show  for  a  new  toy,  he  declared  his  belief 
that  no  one  could  equal  the  police  in  such  machina- 
tions. 

What  could  one  do  in  the  face  of  such  obstinacy? 

M.  Segmuller  did  not  even  attempt  to  argue  the 
point,  and  retired,  followed  by  his  companions. 

Until  they  reached  the  superintendent's  office,  he  did 
not  utter  a  word ;  then  he  threw  himself  down  into  an 
arm-chair,  saying: 

"  We  must  confess  ourselves  beaten.  This  man  will 
always  remain  what  he  is  now — an  enigma." 

"  But  what  is  the  meaning  of  the  comedy  he  has  just 
played?  I  do  not  understand  it,"  said  the  keeper. 

"  Why,"  responded  Lecoq,  "  do  you  not  see  that  he 
hoped  to  persuade  the  judge  that  the  first  note  had 
been  written  by  me,  in  order  to  convince  him  of  the 
truth  of  my  theory?  It  was  a  hazardous  project;  but 
the  importance  of  the  result  to  be  gained  must  have 
emboldened  him  to  attempt  it.  Had  he  succeeded,  I 
should  have  been  disgraced ;  and  he  would  have  re- 
mained May — without  further  molestation,  in  the  eyes 
of  the  world.  But  how  could  he  know  that  I  had  dis- 
covered his  correspondence,  and  that  I  was  watching 
him  from  the  loft  above?  That  is  something  which 
will  never  be  explained,  probably." 

The  keeper  and  the  detective  exchanged  glances  of. 
mutual  distrust. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  279 

"  Eh !  eh !  "  thought  the  director,  "  why,  indeed, 
might  not  that  note  which  fell  at  my  feet  the  other  day 
have  been  the  work  of  this  crafty  fellow  ?  His  Father 
Absinthe  might  have  served  him  in  the  first  instance  as 
well  as  he  did  in  the  last." 

"  Who  knows,"  Lecoq  was  saying  to  himself,  "  but 
what  this  worthy  keeper  has  confided  everything  to 
Gevrol?  If  he  has,  my  jealous  general  would  not 
scruple  to  play  me  such  a  trick  as  this." 

"  Ah !  "  exclaimed  Coquet,  "  it  is  really  a  pity  that 
such  a  well-mounted  comedy  did  not  succeed." 

These  words  startled  the  judge  from  his  revery. 

"  A  shameful  farce,"  he  said,  "  and  one  that  I  would 
never  have  authorized,  had  I  not  been  blinded  by  a 
mad  longing  to  arrive  at  the  truth.  It  brings  the  sa- 
cred majesty  of  justice  into  contempt  to  make  her  the 
accomplice  of  such  base  subterfuges !  " 

Lecoq,  on  hearing  these  words,  became  white  with 
wrath,  and  a  tear  of  rage  glittered  in  his  eye. 

It  was  the  second  affront  within  an  hour.  Insulted, 
first  by  the  prisoner,  afterward  by  the  judge. 

"  I  am  defeated,"  thought  he.  "  I  must  confess  it. 
It  is  Fate.  Ah !  if  I  had  but  succeeded !  " 

Disappointment  alone  had  impelled  M.  Segmuller 
to  utter  these  harsh  words ;  they  were  harsh  and  un- 
just; he  regretted  them,  and  did  all  in  his  power  to 
make  Lecoq  forget  them. 

For  they  met  every  day  after  this  unfortunate  inci- 
dent; and  every  morning,  when  the  young  detective 
came  to  give  an  account  of  his  investigations,  they  had 
a  long  conference. 

For  Lecoq  still  continued  his  efforts ;  still  labored 
with  an  obstinacy  intensified  by  constant  sneers ;  still 
pursued  his  investigations  with  that  cold  and  deter- 


28o  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

mined  anger  which  keeps  one's  faculties  on  the  alert 
for  years. 

But  the  judge  was  utterly  discouraged. 

"  We  must  abandon  this  attempt,"  said  he.  "  All 
the  means  of  detection  have  been  exhausted.  I  give 
it  up.  The  prisoner  will  go  to  the  Court  of  Assizes, 
and  will  be  acquitted  or  condemned  under  the  name 
of  May.  I  will  trouble  myself  no  more  about  the 
affair." 

He  said  this,  but  his  anxiety,  the  disappointment 
caused  by  his  defeat,  the  sarcastic  remarks  of  his  ac- 
quaintances, and  his  perplexity  in  regard  to  the  course 
he  had  best  pursue,  so  affected  his  health  that  he  be- 
came really  ill — so  ill  that  he  was  confined  to  his  bed. 

Eight  days  had  elapsed  since  he  had  left  his  house, 
when  one  morning  Lecoq  called  to  inquire  for  him. 

"  You  see,  my  good  fellow,  that  this  mysterious  mur- 
derer is  fatal  to  us  judges.  Ah !  he  is  too  much  for 
us ;  he  will  preserve  his  identity." 

"  Possibly,"  replied  Lecoq.  "  There  is  but  one  way 
left  to  gain  his  secret:  we  must  allow  him  to  escape, 
and  then  track  him  to  his  lair." 


CHAPTER   XXXIV 

This  last  expedient,  proposed  by  Lecoq,  was  not  of 
his  own  invention,  and  not  by  any  means  new. 

In  every  age,  the  police  force  has,  when  it  became 
necessary  to  do  so,  closed  its  eyes  and  opened  the 
prison  doors  for  the  release  of  suspected  parties. 

And  not  a  few,  dazzled  by  liberty  and  ignorance  of 
any  espionage,  betray  themselves. 

All  the  prisoners  are  not,  like  Lavalette,  protected 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  281 

by  royal  connivance ;  and  we  might  enumerate  many 
individuals  who^like  the  unfortunate  Georges  d'Etch- 
erony,  have  been  released,  only  to  be  rearrested,  when 
they  have  made  a  confession  of  guilt  to  those  who  had 
wormed  themselves  into  their  confidence. 

Poor  D'Etcherony !  He  supposed  that  he  had  elud- 
ed the  vigilance  of  his  guardians.  When  he  discov- 
ered his  error,  and  became  aware  of  the  mistake  he  had 
made,  he  sent  a  bullet  through  his  own  heart. 

Alas !  he  survived  this  terrible  wound  long  enough 
to  learn  that  one  of  his  own  familiar  friends  had  be- 
trayed him,  and  to  cast  in  his  teeth  the  insulting  word 
"  traitor !  " 

It  is,  however,  very  seldom,  and  only  in  special  cases, 
and  as  a  last  resort,  that  such  a  plan  is  adopted. 

And  the  authorities  consent  to  it  only  when  they 
hope  to  derive  some  important  advantage,  such  as  the 
capture  of  a  whole  band  of  malefactors. 

The  police  arrest,  perhaps,  one  of  the  band.  In 
spite  of  his  wickedness,  a  sense  of  honor  makes  him, 
not  unfrequently,  refuse  to  name  his  accomplices. 
What  is  to  be  done  ?  Is  he  alone  to  be  tried  and  con- 
demned? 

No.  He  is  set  at  liberty;  but  like  the  falcon  who 
flies  away  with  a  thread  attached  to  his  foot,  he  drags 
after  him  at  the  end  of  his  chain  a  crowd  of  close  ob- 
servers. 

And  at  the  very  moment  when  he  is  boasting  of  his 
good  luck  and  audacity  to  the  comrades  he  has  re- 
joined, the  whole  company  find  themselves  caught  in 
the  snare. 

M.  Segmuller  knew  all  this,  and  much  more ;  yet,  on 
hearing  Lecoq's  proposition,  he  turned  to  him  angrily, 
and  exclaimed: 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"Are  you  mad?" 

"  I  think  not." 

"  A  most  foolish  scheme !  " 

"  Why  so,  Monsieur  ?  After  the  assassination  of 
the  husband  and  wife  Chaboiseau,  the  police  succeed- 
ed in  capturing  the  guilty  parties,  you  must  recollect. 
But  a  robbery  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  francs 
in  bank-notes  and  coin  had  also  been  committed. 
This  large  sum  of  money  could  not  be  found ;  and  the 
murderers  obstinately  refused  to  divulge  where  they 
had  concealed  it.  It  would  be  a  fortune  for  them,  if 
they  escaped  the  gallows  ;  but,  meanwhile,  the  children 
of  the  victims  were  ruined.  Monsieur  Patrigent,  the 
judge  of  instruction,  was  the  first — I  will  not  say  to 
counsel— but  to  succeed  in  convincing  the  authorities 
that  it  would  be  well  to  set  one  of  these  wretches  at 
liberty.  They  followed  his  advice ;  and  three  days 
later  the  culprit  was  surprised  disinterring  his  booty 
from  a  bed  of  mushrooms.  I  believe  that  our  pris- 
oner  " 

"  Enough !  "  interrupted  M.  Segmuller.  "  I  wish 
to  hear  no  more  about  this  affair.  I  have,  it  seems  to 
me,  forbidden  you  to  broach  the  subject." 

The  young  detective  hung  his  head  with  a  hypocrit- 
ical air  of  submission. 

But  he  was  all  the  while  watching  the  judge  out  of 
the  corner  of  his  eye  and  noting  his  agitation. 

"  I  can  afford  to  be  silent,"  he  thought ;  "  he  will 
return  to  the  subject  of  his  own  accord." 

He  did,  in  fact,  return  to  it  only  a  moment  afterward. 

"  Suppose  this  man  was  released  from  prison,  what 
would  you  do  ?  " 

"  What  would  I  do,  Monsieur !     I  would  follow  him 


SMONSIEUR   LECOQ  283 

like  grim  death;  I  would  not  let  him  go  out  of  my 
sight ;  I  would  live  in  his  shadow." 

"  And  do  you  suppose  that  he  would  not  discover 
this  surveillance  ?  " 

"  I  should  take  my  precautions." 

"  He  would  recognize  you  at  a  single  glance." 

"  No,  Monsieur,  because  I  shall  disguise  myself.  A 
detective  who  is  not  capable  of  equalling  the  most  skil- 
ful actor  in  the  matter  of  make-up  is  no  better  than  an 
ordinary  policeman.  I  have  practised  only  for  a  year 
in  making  my  face  and  my  person  whatever  I  wish 
them  to  be,  but  I  can,  at  will,  be  old  or  young,  dark  or 
light,  a  man  of  the  world,  or  the  most  frightful  ruffian 
of  the  barrieres." 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  you  possessed  this  talent, 
Monsieur  Lecoq." 

"  Oh !  I  am  very  far  from  the  perfection  of  which  I 
dream.  I  venture  to  engage,  however,  that  before 
three  days  have  elapsed,  I  can  appear  before  you  and 
converse  with  you  for  half  an  hour  without  being  rec- 
ognized." 

M.  Segmuller  made  no  response;  and  it  was  evident 
to  Lecoq  that  the  judge  had  offered  these  objections 
in  the  hope  of  seeing  them  destroyed,  rather  than  with 
the  wish  to  see  them  prevail. 

"  I  think,  my  poor  boy,  that  you  are  strangely  de- 
ceived. We  have  both  been  equally  anxious  to  pene- 
trate the  mystery  that  shrouds  this  strange  man.  We 
have  both  admired  his  wonderful  acuteness — for  his 
sagacity  is  wonderful ;  so  marvellous,  indeed,  that  it 
exceeds  the  limits  of  imagination.  Do  you  believe 
that  a  man  of  his  penetration  will  betray  himself  like 
an  ordinary  prisoner  ?  He  will  understand  at  once,  if 


284  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

he  is  set  at  liberty,  that  this  freedom  is  given  him  only 
that  we  may  use  it  against  him." 

"  I  do  not  deceive  myself,  sir.  May  will  divine  the 
truth.  I  know  that  but  too  well." 

"  Very  well ;  then  what  will  be  the  use  of  attempting 
what  you  propose  ?  " 

"  I  have  reflected  on  the  subject,  and  have  come  to 
this  conclusion :  This  man  will  find  himself  strangely 
embarrassed,  even  when  he  is  free.  He  will  not  have 
a  sou  in  his  pocket ;  he  has  no  trade.  What  will  he  do 
to  make  a  living?  But  one  must  eat.  He  may  strug- 
gle along  for  a  while,  but  he  will  not  be  willing  to  suf- 
fer long.  Days  when  he  is  without  a  shelter,  and  with- 
out a  morsel  of  bread,  he  will  remember  that  he  is  rich. 
Will  he  not  seek  to  recover  his  property?  Yes,  cer- 
tainly. He  will  try  to  obtain  money  ;  he  will  endeavor 
to  communicate  with  his  friends.  I  shall  wait  until 
that  day  comes.  Months  will  elapse,  and,  seeing  no 
sign  of  my  surveillance,  he  will  venture  some  decisive 
step  ;  and  I  will  step  forward  with  a  warrant  for  his  ar- 
rest in  my  hand." 

"And  what  if  he  should  leave  Paris?  What  if  he 
should  flee  to  some  foreign  country  ?  " 

"  I  will  follow  him.  One  of  my  aunts  has  left  me  a 
small  country  property,  that  is  worth  about  twelve 
thousand  francs.  I  will  sell  it,  and  I  will  spend  the  last 
sou,  if  necessary,  in  pursuit  of  my  revenge.  This  man 
has  outwitted  me  as  if  I  were  a  child,  and  I  will  have 
my  turn." 

"  And  what  if  he  should  slip  through  your  fingers  ?  " 

Lecoq  laughed  like  a  man  who  was  sure  of  himself. 

"  Let  him  try,"  he  exclaimed.  "  I  will  answer  for 
him  with  my  life." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  285 

Unfortunately,  Lecoq's  enthusiasm  made  the  judge 
all  the  colder. 

"  Your  idea  is  a  good  one,  sir,"  he  responded.  "  But 
you  must  understand  that  law  and  justice  will  take  no 
part  in  such  intrigues.  All  I  can  promise  you  is  my 
tacit  approval.  Go,  therefore,  to  the  prefecture;  see 
your  superiors " 

With  a  really  despairing  gesture,  the  young  man 
interrupted  M.  Segmuller. 

"  What  good  would  it  do  for  me  to  make  such  a 
proposition  ?  "  he  exclaimed.  "  They  would  not  only 
refuse  my  request,  but  they  would  give  me  my  dismis- 
sal, if  my  name  is  not  already  erased  from  the  roll." 

"  You  dismissed,  your  name  erased  after  you  have 
conducted  this  case  so  well  ?  " 

"  Alas !  sir,  everyone  is  not  of  that  opinion. 
Tongues  have  been  wagging  busily  during  the  week 
of  your  illness.  My  enemies  have  heard  somehow  of 
the  last  scene  we  had  with  May.  Ah,  yes !  that  man  is 
very  clever.  They  all  say  now  that  it  was  /,  who,  with 
a  hope  of  advancement,  imagined  all  the  romantic  de- 
tails of  this  affair.  They  declare  that  there  can  be  no 
doubt  of  the  prisoner's  identity  except  those  of  my  own 
invention.  To  hear  them  talk  at  the  depot  one  might 
suppose  that  I  invented  the  scene  that  took  place  in 
the  Widow  Chupin's  cabin ;  imagined  the  accomplices  ; 
suborned  the  witnesses ;  manufactured  the  articles 
found  in  the  dwelling ;  wrote  that  first  note  as  well  as 
the  second ;  duped  Father  Absinthe,  and  mystified  the 
keeper." 

"The  devil!"  exclaimed  M.  Segmuller;  "in  that 
case  what  do  they  think  of  me?  " 

The  wily  detective's  face  assumed  an  expression  of 
intense  embarrassment. 


286  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"Ah!  sir,"  he  replied,  with  a  great  show  of  reluc- 
tance, "  they  pretend  that  you  have  allowed  yourself  to 
be  deceived  by  me,  that  you  have  not  properly  weighed 
the  proofs  which  I  have  adduced." 

A  fleeting  crimson  tinged  M.  Segmuller's  forehead. 

"  In  a  word,"  said  he,  "  they  think  I  am  your  dupe — 
and  a  fool." 

The  recollection  of  certain  smiles  that  he  had  en- 
countered in  passing  through  the  corridors,  and  of 
divers  allusions  which  had  stung  him  to  the  quick, 
decided  him. 

"  Very  well,  I  will  aid  you,  Monsieur  Lecoq,"  he  ex- 
claimed. "  I  would  like  you  to  triumph  over  your 
enemies.  I  will  get  up  at  once  and  accompany  you  to 
the  palace.  I  will  see  the  attorney-general  myself;  I 
will  speak  to  him  ;  I  will  plead  your  cause  for  you." 

Lecoq's  joy  was  intense. 

Never,  no,  never,  had  he  dared  to  obtain  such  aid. 

Ah !  after  this,  M.  Segmuller  might  ask  him  to  go 
through  fire  for  him  if  he  chose,  and  he  would  be  ready 
to  precipitate  himself  into  the  flames. 

Still  he  was  prudent  enough,  and  he  had  sufficient 
control  over  his  feelings  to  preserve  a  sober  face.  This 
was  one  of  the  victories  that  must  be  concealed,  under 
penalty  of  losing  all  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  it. 

Certainly  the  young  detective  had  said  nothing  that 
was  untrue,  but  there  are  different  ways  of  presenting 
the  truth,  and  he  had,  perhaps,  exaggerated  a  trifle  in 
order  to  make  the  judge  share  his  rancor,  and  make 
him  an  earnest  auxiliary.  M.  Segmuller,  however, 
after  the  exclamation  wrested  from  him  by  his  adroitly 
wounded  vanity — after  the  first  explosion  of  anger — 
regained  his  accustomed  calmness. 

"  I  suppose,"  he  remarked  to  Lecoq,  "  that  you  have 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  287 

decided  what  stratagem  must  be  employed  to  lull  the 
prisoner's  suspicions  in  case  he  is  permitted  to  es- 
cape." 

"  I  have  not  once  thought  of  that,  I  must  confess. 
Besides,  what  good  would  any  such  stratagem  do? 
That  man  knows  too  well  that  he  is  the  object  of  sus- 
picion and  anxious  surveillance  not  to  hold  himself  on 
the  qui  vive.  But  there  is  one  precaution  which  I  be- 
lieve is  absolutely  necessary ;  indispensable  indeed.  In 
fact,  it  appears  to  me  an  essential  condition  of  success." 

Lecoq  seemed  to  find  so  much  difficulty  in  choosing 
his  words,  that  the  judge  felt  it  necessary  to  aid  him. 

"  Let  me  hear  this  precaution,"  said  he. 

"  It  consists,  sir,  in  giving  an  order  to  transfer  May 
to  another  prison.  Oh,  it  matters  not  which  one ;  any 
one  you  choose  to  select." 

"Why,  if  you  please?" 

"  Because,  during  the  few  days  that  precede  his  re- 
lease it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  hold  no 
communication  with  his  friends  outside,  and  that  he 
should  be  unable  to  warn  his  accomplice." 

This  proposition  seemed  to  amaze  M.  Segmuller  ex- 
ceedingly. 

"  Then  you  think  that  he  is  poorly  guarded  where 
he  is?  "  he  inquired. 

"  No,  Monsieur,  I  did  not  say  that.  I  am  persuaded 
that  since  the  affair  of  the  note  the  keeper  has  re- 
doubled his  vigilance.  But  still,  where  he  is  now,  this 
mysterious  murderer  certainly  receives  news  from  out- 
side; we  have  had  material  evidence — unanswerable 
proofs  of  that  fact — and  besides " 

He  paused,  evidently  fearing  to  give  expression  to 
his  thought,  like  a  person  who  feels  that  what  he  is 
about  to  say  will  be  regarded  as  an  enormity. 


288  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  And  besides?  "  insisted  the  judge. 

"  Ah,  well,  sir !  I  will  be  perfectly  frank  with  you. 
I  find  that  Gevrol  enjoys  too  much  liberty  in  the  depot ; 
he  is  perfectly  at  home  there ;  he  comes  and  goes,  and 
no  one  ever  thinks  of  asking  what  he  is  doing,  where 
he  is  going,  or  what  he  wishes  there.  No  pass  is  nec- 
essary for  his  admission,  and  he  can  make  the  head 
keeper,  who  is  a  very  honest  man,  see  stars  in  the 
heavens  at  midday  if  he  chooses.  And  I  distrust  Gev- 
rol." 

"  Oh !  Monsieur  Lecoq !  " 

"  Yes,  I  know  very  well  that  it  is  a  bold  accusation, 
but  a  man  is  not  master  of  his  presentiments,  and  I  dis- 
trust Gevrol.  Did  the  prisoner  know  or  did  he  not 
know,  that  I  was  watching  him  from  the  loft,  and  that 
I  had  discovered  his  secret  correspondence  ?  Evident- 
ly he  did  know  this;  the  last  scene  with  him  proves 
it." 

"  Such  is  also  my  opinion." 

"  But  how  could  he  have  known  it  ?  He  could  not 
have  discovered  it  unaided.  For  eight  days  I  endured 
tortures  to  find  the  solution  of  this  problem.  All  my 
trouble  was  wasted.  Gevrol's  intervention  would  ex- 
plain it  all." 

M.  Segmuller,  at  the  mere  supposition,  turned  pale 
with  anger. 

"  Ah !  if  I  could  really  believe  that !  "  he  exclaimed ; 
"  if  I  were  sure  of  it !  Have  you  any  proofs  ?  " 

The  young  man  shook  his  head. 

"  If  I  had  my  hands  full  of  proofs  I  should  know 
enough  not  to  open  them.  Would  it  not  ruin  my 
whole  future  ?  I  must,  if  I  succeed,  expect  many  such 
acts  of  treachery.  There  is  hatred  and  rivalry  in  every 
profession.  And  mark  this,  Monsieur — I  do  not 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  289 

doubt  Gevrol's  honesty.  If  a  hundred  thousand  francs 
were  counted  out  upon  the  table  and  offered  to  him,  he 
would  not  release  a  prisoner.  But  he  would  rob  jus- 
tice of  a  dozen  criminals  in  the  mere  hope  of  injuring 
me,  whom  he  thinks  likely  to  overshadow  him." 

How  many  things  these  words  explained !  To  how 
many  unsolved  enigmas  did  they  give  the  key!  But 
the  judge  had  not  time  to  follow  out  this  course  of 
thought. 

"  That  will  do,"  said  he ;  "  go  into  the  drawing-room 
for  a  moment.  I  will  dress  and  join  you  there.  I  will 
send  for  a  carriage ;  I  must  make  haste  if  I  wish  to  see 
the  procureur-general  to-day." 

Usually  very  particular  about  the  minutiae  of  his  toi- 
lette, this  morning  the  judge  was  dressed  and  in  the 
drawing-room  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 

As  soon  as  he  entered  the  apartment  where  Lecoq 
was  impatiently  awaiting  him,  he  said,  briefly : 

"  Let  us  start." 

They  were  just  entering  the  carriage,  when  a  man, 
whose  handsome  livery  proclaimed  him  a  servitor  in 
an  aristocratic  household,  hastily  approached  M.  Seg- 
muller. 

"  Ah !  Jean,  is  it  you  ?  "  said  the  judge.  "  How  is 
your  master  ?  " 

"  Improving,  Monsieur.  He  sent  me  to  ask  how 
you  were,  and  to  inquire  how  that  affair  was  progress- 
ing." 

"  There  has  been  no  change  in  that  since  I  wrote 
him  last.  Give  him  my  compliments,  and  tell  him 
that  I  am  out  again." 

The  servant  bowed.  Lecoq  to'ok  a  seat  beside  the 
judge,  and  the  fiacre  started. 


29o  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  That  fellow  is  D'Escorval's  valet  de  chambre,"  re* 
marked  M.  Segmuller. 

"  The  judge  who " 

"  Precisely.  He  sent  his  man  to  me  two  or  three 
days  ago,  to  ascertain  what  we  were  doing  with  our 
mysterious  May." 

"Then  Monsieur  d'Escorval  is  interested  in  the 
case?  " 

"  Prodigiously !  I  conclude  it  is  because  he  opened 
the  prosecution,  and  because  the  case  rightfully  be- 
longs to  him.  Perhaps  he  regrets  that  it  passed  out  of 
his  hands,  and  thinks  that  he  could  have  managed  the 
instruction  better  himself.  We  would  have  done  better 
with  it  if  we  could.  I  would  give  a  good  deal  to  see 
him  in  my  place." 

But  this  change  would  not  have  been  at  all  to  Le- 
coq's  taste. 

"  That  stern  and  forbidding  judge  would  never  have 
granted  the  concessions  I  have  just  obtained  from  M. 
Segmuller,"  he  thought. 

He  had,  indeed,  good  reason  to  congratulate  him- 
self ;  for  M.  Segmuller  did  not  break  his  promise.  He 
was  one  of  those  men  who,  when  they  have  once  de- 
cided upon  a  plan,  never  rest  until  it  has  been  carried 
into  execution. 

That  very  day  he  induced  the  authorities  to  adopt 
Lecoq's  suggestion;  and  the  details  only  remained  to 
be  decided  upon. 

That  same  afternoon,  the  Widow  Chupin  received 
her  conditional  release. 

There  was  no  difficulty  in  regard  to  Polyte.  He,  in 
the  meantime,  had  been  brought  before  the  court 
under  a  charge  of  theft ;  and,  to  his  great  astonishment, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  291 

had  heard  himself  condemned  to  thirteen  months'  im- 
prisonment. 

After  this  M.  Segmuller  had  nothing  to  do  but  to 
wait ;  and  this  was  much  more  easy  to  do,  since  the 
coming  of  the  Easter  holidays  gave  him  an  opportu- 
nity to  seek  a  little  rest  and  recreation  in  the  provinces, 
with  his  family. 

He  returned  to  Paris  on  the  last  day  of  the  recess, 
which  chanced  to  fall  on  Sunday,  and  he  was  sitting 
quietly  in  his  own  drawing-room,  when  a  servant — 
who  had  been  sent  by  the  employment  bureau  to  take 
the  place  of  one  whom  he  had  dismissed — was  an- 
nounced. 

The  new-comer  was  a  man  apparently  about  forty 
years  of  age,  very  red  in  the  face,  with  thick  hair  and 
heavy  red  whiskers — strongly  inclined  to  corpulence, 
and  clad  in  clumsy,  ill-fitting  garments. 

In  a  very  sedate  manner,  and  with  a  strong  Norman 
accent,  he  informed  the  judge  that  during  the  past 
twenty  years  he  had  been  in  the  employ  of  literary 
men — a  physician,  and  a  notary ;  that  he  was  familiar 
with  the  duties  that  would  be  required  of  him  in  the 
Palais  de  Justice,  and  that  he  knew  how  to  dust  papers 
without  disarranging  them. 

In  short,  the  man  produced  such  a  favorable  impres- 
sion, that  although  he  reserved  twenty-four  hours  in 
which  to  make  further  inquiries,  the  judge  drew  from 
his  pocket  a  louis,  and  tendered  it  to  him  as  the  first 
instalment  of  his  wages. 

But  the  man,  with  a  sudden  change  of  voice  and  at- 
titude, burst  into  a  hearty  laugh,  and  said : 

"  Monsieur,  do  you  think  that  May  will  recognize 
me?" 


292  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Monsieur  Lecoq ! "  exclaimed  the  astonished 
judge. 

"  The  same,  sir ;  and  I  have  come  to  tell  you  that  if 
you  are  ready  to  release  May,  all  my  arrangements 
have  been  completed." 


CHAPTER  XXXV 

When  a  judge  connected  with  the  tribunal  of  the 
Seine  wishes  to  examine  a  person  incarcerated  in  one 
of  the  prisons,  the  following  forms  are  observed : 

He  first  sends  his  messenger  with  what  is  called  an 
order  of  extraction,  an  imperative  and  concise  formula, 
which  we  quote,  in  order  to  give  some  idea  of  the  un- 
limited power  vested  in  the  magistrates  who  are  in- 
trusted with  the  preparation  of  cases  for  the  govern- 
ment. 

It  reads  thus : 

"  The  keeper  of  the prison  will  give  into  the 

custody  of  the  bearer  of  this  order,  the  prisoner  known 

as ,  in  order  that  he  may  be  brought  before  us 

in  our  cabinet  in  the  Palais  de  Justice." 

No  more,  no  less,  a  signature,  a  seal,  and  everybody 
hastens  to  obey. 

But  from  the  moment  of  receiving  this  order  to  the 
time  that  the  prisoner  is  again  consigned  to  the  keep- 
ing of  the  jailer,  the  superintendent  of  the  prison  is  re- 
lieved of  all  responsibility.  Whatever  may  happen, 
his  hands  are  clean. 

So  the  journey  of  the  prisoner  from  the  prison  to  the 
palace  is  usually  attended  with  an  infinite  number  of 
precautions. 

They  place  the  prisoner  in  one  of  the  lugubrious 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  293 

vehicles  that  one  sees  stationed  every  day  on  the  Quai 
de  1'Horloge,  or  the  court  of  the  Sainte-Chapelle,  lock- 
ing him  up  carefully  in  one  of  the  compartments. 

This  vehicle  conveys  him  to  the  palace,  and  while  he 
is  awaiting  his  examination,  he  is  immured  in  one  of 
the  cells  of  that  gloomy  prison,  familiarly  known  as 
"  la  Souriciere  " — the  mouse-trap. 

On  entering  and  leaving  the  carriage  the  prisoner 
is  surrounded  by  guards. 

En  route  he  is  also  under  the  watchful  eye  of  several 
guards,  some  of  them  stationed  in  the  passage-way 
that  divides  the  compartments,  others  on  the  seat  with 
the  driver. 

Mounted  guards  always  accompany  the  vehicle. 

So  the  boldest  malefactors  realize  the  impossibility 
of  escape  from  this  moving  prison-house. 

The  statistics  show  only  thirty  attempts  at  escape  in 
a  period  of  ten  years. 

Of  these  thirty  attempts,  twenty-five  were  ridiculous 
failures.  Four  were  discovered  before  their  authors 
had  conceived  any  serious  hope  of  success.  One  man 
alone  succeeded  in  making  his  escape  from  the  vehicle, 
and  he  had  not  gone  fifty  steps  before  he  was  captured. 

He  accepted,  boldly,  perhaps,  but  not  blindly,  the 
struggle  that  must  ensue. 

"  But,"  thought  Lecoq,  "  if  he  decides  to  incur  these 
risks  he  must  be  reasonably  sure  that  he  will  succeed 
in  overcoming  them." 

Such  a  belief  on  the  part  of  May  was  a  grave  subject 
of  fear  for  the  young  detective ;  but  it  also  gave  rise  to 
a  delightful  emotion.  He  had  an  ambition  beyond  his 
station ;  and  every  ambitious  man  is  by  nature  a  gam- 
bler. 


294  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

He  felt  that  his  foeman  was  worthy  of  his  steel ;  that 
they  had  equal  chances  for  success. 

Lecoq's  plan  for  allowing  May  to  escape  was  child- 
ish in  its  simplicity,  as  he  himself  confessed.  It  con- 
sisted in  fastening  the  compartment  in  which  May  was 
placed  very  insecurely,  on  the  departure  of  the  carriage 
from  the  depot,  and  in  forgetting  him  entirely  when 
the  wagon,  after  depositing  its  load  of  criminals  at  the 
"  mouse-trap,"  went,  as  usual,  to  await  upon  the  quay 
the  hour  for  returning  them  to  the  prison. 

It  was  scarcely  possible  that  the  prisoner  would  fail 
to  embrace  this  opportunity  to  make  his  escape. 

All  was,  therefore,  prepared  and  arranged,  in  con- 
formance  with  Lecoq's  directions,  on  the  day  indicated 
— the  Monday  following  the  close  of  the  Easter  holi- 
days. 

The  order  of  "  extraction  "  was  intrusted  to  an  intel- 
ligent man,  with  the  most  minute  instructions. 

The  prison-van  containing  the  prisoner  May  would 
not  arrive  at  the  palace  until  noon. 

And  yet  at  nine  o'clock  there  might  have  been  seen 
hanging  about  the  prefecture  one  of  those  old  gamins, 
who  make  one  almost  believe  in  the  fable  of  Venus 
rising  from  the  waves,  so  truly  do  they  seem  born  of 
the  foam  and  scum  of  the  city. 

He  was  clad  in  a  tattered  black  woollen  blouse,  and 
in  large,  ill-fitting  trousers,  fastened  about  his  waist  by 
a  leather  band.  His  boots  betrayed  a  familiar  ac- 
quaintance with  the  mud-puddles  of  the  suburbs,  his 
cap  was  shabby  and  dirty;  but  his  pretentiously  tied 
red-silk  cravat  must  have  been  a  gift  from  his  sweet- 
heart. 

He  had  the  unhealthy  complexion,  the  hollow  eyes, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  295 

the  slouching  mien,  the  straggling  beard  common  to 
his  tribe. 

His  yellow  hair  was  plastered  down  upon  his  tem- 
ples, but  cut  closely  at  the  back  of  the  head,  as  if  to  save 
the  trouble  of  brushing  it. 

On  seeing  his  attire,  the  way  in  which  he  balanced 
himself  upon  his  haunches,  the  movement  of  his  shoul- 
ders, his  way  of  holding  his  cigarette  and  of  ejecting  a 
stream  of  saliva  from  between  his  teeth,  Polyte  Chupin 
would  have  extended  his  hand  as  to  a  friend,  and  greet- 
ed him  as  "  comrade  "  and  "  pal." 

It  was  the  I4th  of  April ;  the  day  was  lovely,  the  air 
balmy,  the  tops  of  the  chestnut-trees  in  the  garden  of 
the  Tuileries  looked  green  against  the  horizon,  and 
this  man  seemed  well  content  to  be  alive,  and  happy  in 
doing  nothing. 

He  walked  lazily  to  and  fro  on  the  quay,  dividing  his 
attention  between  the  passers-by  and  the  men  who 
were  hauling  sand  from  the  banks  of  the  Seine. 

Occasionally  he  crossed  the  street  and  exchanged  a 
few  words  with  a  respectable  elderly  gentleman,  very 
neatly  dressed,  and  wearing  spectacles  and  a  very  long 
beard,  his  hands  encased  in  silk  gloves.  This  person 
exhibited  all  the  characteristics  of  a  respectable,  well- 
to-do  gentleman,  and  seemed  to  feel  a  remarkable  curi- 
osity in  regard  to  the  contents  of  an  optician's  window. 

From  time  to  time  a  policeman  or  one  of  the  detec- 
tive corps  passed  them  on  his  way  to  make  his  report ; 
and  the  elderly  gentleman  or  the  gamin  often  ran  after 
him  to  ask  some  information. 

The  person  addressed  replied  and  passed  on ;  and 
then  the  two  confreres  joined  each  other  to  laugh  and 
say: 


*96  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Good !  there  is  another  who  does  not  recognize 
us." 

And  they  had  just  cause  for  exultation,  and  good 
reason  to  be  proud. 

Of  the  twelve  or  fifteen  comrades  whom  they  had 
accosted,  not  one  had  recognized  their  colleagues,  Le- 
coq  and  Father  Absinthe. 

For  it  was  indeed  they,  armed  and  equipped  for  the 
chase,  for  the  pursuit  whose  chances  and  result  it  was 
impossible  to  foresee. 

"  Ah !  I  am  not  surprised  that  they  do  not  recognize 
me,"  said  Father  Absinthe,  "  since  I  cannot  recognize 
myself.  No  one  but  you,  Monsieur  Lecoq,  could  have 
so  transformed  me." 

But  the  time  for  reflection  was  past ;  the  time  for  ac- 
tion had  come. 

The  young  detective  saw  the  prison-van  crossing  the 
bridge  at  a  brisk  trot. 

"  Attention !  "  he  said  to  his  companion ;  "  there 
conies  our  friend!  Quick!  to  your  post;  remember 
my  directions,  and  keep  your  eyes  open !  " 

Near  them,  on  the  quay,  was  a  huge  pile  of  timber. 
Father  Absinthe  went  and  hid  himself  behind  it ;  and 
Lecoq,  seizing  a  spade  that  was  lying  idle,  hurried  to 
a  little  distance  and  began  digging  in  the  sand. 

They  did  well  to  make  haste.  The  van  came  onward 
and  turned  the  corner. 

It  passed  the  two  men,  and  with  a  noisy  clang  rolled 
under  the  heavy  arch  that  led  to  "  la  Souriciere." 

May  was  inside. 

Lecoq  was  sure  of  this  when  he  saw  the  keeper,  who 
was  seated  in  the  vehicle. 

The  carriage  remained  in  the  court-yard  for  more 
than  a  quarter  of  an  hour. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  29? 

When  it  reappeared  in  the  street,  the  driver  had  de- 
scended from  his  seat  and  was  leading  the  horses  by  the 
bridle.  He  stationed  the  carriage  opposite  the  Palais 
de  Justice,  threw  a  covering  over  his  horses,  lighted  his 
pipe,  and  walked  away. 

For  a  moment  the  anxiety  of  the  two  watchers 
amounted  to  actual  agony;  nothing  stirred;  nothing 
moved. 

But  at  last  the  door  of  the  carriage  was  opened  with 
infinite  caution,  and  a  pale,  frightened  face  became  vis- 
ible. It  was  the  face  of  May. 

The  prisoner  cast  a  rapid  glance  around ;  no  one  was 
in  sight. 

With  the  quickness  of  a  cat,  he  sprang  to  the  ground, 
noiselessly  closed  the  door  of  the  vehicle,  and  walked 
quietly  in  the  direction  of  the  bridge. 


CHAPTER   XXXVI 

Lecoq  breathed  again. 

He  had  been  asking  himself  if  some  trifling  circum- 
stance could  have  been  forgotten  or  neglected,  and 
thus  disarranged  all  his  plans. 

He  had  been  wondering  if  this  strange  man  would 
refuse  the  dangerous  liberty  which  had  been  offered 
him. 

Foolish  disquietude!  May  had  fled;  not  thought- 
lessly, but  premeditatedly. 

From  the  moment  when  he  was  left  alone  and  ap- 
parently forgotten  in  the  insecurely  locked  compart- 
ment, to  the  instant  when  he  opened  the  door,  suffi- 
cient time  had  elapsed  to  give  a  man  of  his  intellect 
arid  clearness  of  discernment  ample  opportunity  to 


298  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

analyze  and  calculate  all  the  chances  of  so  grave  a 
step. 

Hence,  if  he  stepped  into  the  snare  that  had  been  laid 
for  him,  it  would  be  with  a  full  knowledge  of  the  risks 
he  must  be  prepared  to  run. 

They  were  alone  together,  free  in  the  streets  of  Paris, 
armed  with  mutual  distrust,  obliged  alike  to  resort  to 
strategy,  forced  to  hide  from  each  other. 

Lecoq,  it  is  true,  had  an  auxiliary — Father  Absinthe. 
But  who  could  say  that  May  would  not  be  aided  by  his 
redoubtable  accomplice? 

It  was  then  a  veritable  duel,  whose  result  depended 
entirely  upon  the  courage,  skill,  and  coolness  of  the 
antagonists. 

All  these  thoughts  flashed  through  the  young  man's 
brain  with  the  quickness  of  lightning. 

He  threw  down  his  spade,  and,  running  to  a  police- 
man, who  was  just  coming  out  of  the  palace,  he  gave 
him  a  letter  which  he  held  ready  in  his  pocket. 

"  Take  this  to  Monsieur  Segmuller,  at  once ;  it  is  a 
matter  of  importance,"  said  he. 

The  officer  attempted  to  question  this  gamin  who 
was  in  correspondence  with  the  magistrates ;  but  Lecoq 
had  already  darted  off  in  the  footsteps  of  the  prisoner. 

May  had  gone  only  a  little  distance.  He  was  saun- 
tering along,  with  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  his  head 
high  in  the  air,  his  manner  composed  and  full  of  assur- 
ance. 

Had  he  reflected  that  it  would  be  dangerous  to  run 
while  near  the  prison  from  which  he  had  just  made  his 
escape  ?  Or  had  he  decided  that,  since  they  had  given 
him  this  opportunity  to  escape,  there  was  no  danger 
that  they  would  arrest  him  immediately? 

Nor  did  he  quicken  his  pace  when  he  had  crossed  the 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  299 

bridge ;  and  it  was  with  the  same  tranquil  manner  that 
he  had  crossed  the  Quai  aux  Fleurs  and  turned  into 
the  Rue  de  la  Cite. 

Nothing  in  his  bearing  or  appearance  proclaimed 
him  an  escaped  prisoner.  Since  his  trunk — that  fa- 
mous trunk  which  he  pretended  to  have  left  at  the 
Hotel  de  Mariembourg — had  been  returned  to  him,  he 
had  been  well  supplied  with  clothing;  and  he  never 
failed,  when  summoned  before  the  judge,  to  array  him- 
self in  his  best  apparel. 

He  wore  that  day,  a  coat,  vest,  and  pantaloons  of 
black  cloth.  One,  to  see  him,  would  have  supposed 
him  a  working  man  of  the  better  class,  off  on  a  holiday 
excursion. 

But  when,  after  crossing  the  Seine,  he  reached  the 
Rue  Sainte-Jacques,  his  manner  changed.  His  tread, 
perfectly  assured  until  then,  became  uncertain.  He 
walked  slowly,  looking  to  the  right  and  to  the  left, 
studying  the  signs. 

"  Evidently  he  is  seeking  something,"  thought  Le- 
coq ;  "  but  what  ?  " 

It  was  not  long  before  he  discovered. 

Seeing  a  shop  where  second-hand  clothing  was  sold, 
May  entered  in  evident  haste. 

Lecoq  stationed  himself  in  a  porte-cochere  on  the  op- 
posite side  of  the  street,  and  pretended  to  be  busily 
engaged  lighting  a  cigarette.  Father  Absinthe  thought 
he  could  approach  without  danger. 

"  Ah,  well,  Monsieur ;  here  is  our  man  changing  his 
fine  clothing  for  coarser  garments.  He  will  demand 
money  in  return;  and  they  will  give  it  to  him.  You 
told  me  this  morning :  '  May  without  a  sou — that  is 
the  trump  card  in  our  game ! ' ' 

"  Nonsense !     Before  we  begin  to  lament,  let  us  wait 


300  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

and  see  what  will  happen.  It  is  not  likely  that  the 
shopkeeper  will  give  him  the  money.  He  will  not  buy 
clothing  of  every  passer-by." 

Father  Absinthe  withdrew  to  a  little  distance.  He 
distrusted  these  reasons,  but  not  Lecoq  who  gave  them 
to  him.  In  his  secret  soul  Lecoq  was  cursing  him- 
self. 

Another  blunder ;  another  weapon  left  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy.  How  was  it  that  he,  who  thought  him- 
self so  shrewd,  had  not  foreseen  this  ? 

His  remorse  was  less  poignant  when  he  saw  May 
emerge  from  the  store  as  he  had  entered  it. 

Luck,  of  which  he  had  spoken  to  Father  Absinthe, 
without  believing  in  it,  had  for  once  been  in  his  favor. 

The  prisoner  actually  staggered  when  he  stepped  out 
upon  the  pavement.  His  countenance  betrayed  the 
terrible  anguish  of  a  drowning  man  when  he  sees  the 
frail  plank  which  was  his  only  hope  of  salvation  torn 
from  his  grasp. 

He  gave  a  peculiar  whistle,  which  was  the  signal 
agreed  upon  to  warn  his  companion  that  he  abandoned 
the  pursuit  to  him ;  and  having  received  a  similar  signal 
in  response,  he  entered  the  shop. 

But  what  had  taken  place  ?    Lecoq  wished  to  know. 

The  merchant  was  still  standing  at  his  counter. 
Lecoq  wasted  no  time  in  parleying.  He  merely  showed 
his  card  to  acquaint  the  man  with  his  profession,  and 
curtly  demanded  the  desired  information. 

"  What  did  the  man  want  who  just  left  here?  " 

The  merchant  seemed  troubled. 

"  It  is  a  long  story,"  he  stammered. 

"  Tell  it !  "  ordered  Lecoq,  surprised  at  the  man's  em- 
barrassment. 

"  Oh,  it  is  very  simple.     About  twelve  years  ago,  a 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3°' 

man  entered  my  store  with  a  bundle  under  his  arm. 
He  claimed  that  he  was  a  countryman  of  mine." 

"  Are  you  an  Alsatian  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir.  Well,  I  went  with  this  man  to  the  wine- 
shop on  the  corner,  where  he  ordered  a  bottle  of  the 
best  wine ;  and  when  we  had  drank  together,  he  asked 
me  if  I  would  consent  to  keep  the  package  he  had  with 
him  until  one  of  his  cousins  came  to  claim  it.  To  pre- 
vent any  mistake,  this  cousin  was  to  utter  certain  words 
— a  countersign,  as  it  were.  I  refused,  shortly  and  de- 
cidedly, for  the  very  month  before  I  had  gotten  into 
trouble,  and  had  been  accused  of  receiving  stolen  goods, 
by  obliging  a  person  in  this  same  way.  Well,  you  never 
saw  a  man  so  vexed  and  so  surprised.  What  made  me 
all  the  more  determined  in  my  refusal  was  that  he  offered 
me  a  good  round  sum  in  payment  for  my  trouble.  This 
only  increased  my  suspicions,  and  I  persisted  in  my  re- 
fusal." 

He  paused  to  take  breath ;  but  Lecoq  was  on  fire  with 
impatience. 

"  And  what  then?  "  he  insisted. 

"  Afterward  the  man  paid  for  the  wine,  and  went 
away.  I  had  forgotten  all  about  the  occurrence,  until 
this  man  came  in  just  now,  and  asked  me  if  I  had  not  a 
package  for  him,  which  had  been  left  here  by  one  of  his 
cousins,  whereupon  he  uttered  some  peculiar  words — 
the  countersign,  doubtless.  When  I  replied  that  I  had 
nothing,  he  turned  as  white  as  his  shirt ;  and  I  thought 
that  he  was  going  to  faint.  All  my  suspicions  returned. 
So  when  he  proposed  that  I  should  buy  his  clothing — 
no ;  I  thank  you." 

All  this  was  very  plain. 

"  And  how  did  this  cousin  look  who  was  here  a  fort- 
night ago?  "  inquired  the  detective. 


302  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  He  was  a  large,  and  rather  corpulent  man,  with  a 
ruddy  complexion,  and  white  whiskers.  Ah !  I  should 
recognize  him  in  an  instant !  " 

"  The  accomplice !  "  exclaimed  Lecoq. 

"What  did  you  say?" 

"  Nothing  that  would  interest  you.  Thank  you.  I  am 
in  a  hurry.  You  will  see  me  again  ;  good-morning." 

Lecoq  had  not  remained  in  the  store  five  minutes ;  yet, 
when  he  emerged,  May  and  Father  Absinthe  were  no- 
where to  be  seen. 

But  this  did  not  occasion  any  uneasiness  in  Lecoq's 
mind. 

When  making  arrangements  with  his  old  colleague 
for  this  pursuit  the  detective  had  endeavored  to  imagine 
all  possible  difficulties  in  order  to  solve  them  in  ad- 
vance. 

The  present  situation  had  been  foreseen.  And  it  had 
been  agreed  that  if  one  of  the  observers  was  obliged  to 
remain  behind,  the  other,  who  was  closely  following 
May,  should  make  chalk-marks  from  time  to  time  upon 
the  walls,  and  upon  the  shutters  of  the  shops,  which 
would  indicate  the  route  to  be  followed,  and  enable  his 
companion  to  rejoin  him. 

So,  in  order  to  know  which  way  to  go,  Lecoq  had  only 
to  examine  the  fronts  of  the  buildings  around  him. 

This  task  was  neither  long  nor  difficult. 

Upon  the  shutters  of  the  third  shop  above  that  of  the 
second-hand  clothes-dealer,  a  superb  dash  of  the 
crayon  told  Lecoq  to  turn  into  the  Rue  Sainte-Jacques. 

The  detective  rushed  on  in  that  direction,  greatly  dis- 
quieted. 

His  assurance  of  the  morning  had  received  a  rude 
shock ! 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  3°3 

What  a  terrible  warning  that  old  clothes-dealer's 
declaration  had  been ! 

And  so  it  was  an  established  fact  that  the  mysterious 
and  redoubtable  accomplice  had  proved  his  marvellous 
foresight  by  making  every  possible  arrangement  to  en- 
sure his  companion's  salvation,  in  case  he  was  allowed 
to  escape. 

The  subtle  penetration  of  this  man  surpassed  the  pre- 
tended miracles  of  clairvoyants. 

"  What  did  this  package  contain  ?  "  thought  Lecoq. 
"  Clothing,  undoubtedly ;  all  the  equipments  of  a  com- 
plete disguise,  money,  clothing,  papers,  a  forged  pass- 
port." 

He  had  reached  the  Rue  Soufflot,  and  paused  for  an 
instant  to  ask  his  way  from  the  walls. 

It  was  the  work  of  a  second.  A  long  chalk-mark  on 
the  shop  of  a  watchmaker  pointed  to  the  Boulevard 
Saint-Michel. 

The  young  man  hastened  in  that  direction. 

"  The  accomplice,"  he  continued,  "  did  not  succeed 
in  his  attempt  in  the  case  of  the  old  clothes-dealer ;  but 
he  is  not  the  man  to  be  disheartened  by  one  rebuff.  He 
has  certainly  taken  other  measures.  How  shall  I  divine 
them,  in  order  to  circumvent  them  ?  " 

The  prisoner  had  crossed  the  Boulevard  Saint-Michel, 
and  had  then  taken  the  Rue  Monsieur-le-Prince.  Father 
Absinthe's  dashes  of  the  crayon  declared  this  fact  with 
many  eloquent  flourishes. 

"  One  circumstance  reassures  me,"  the  detective  mur- 
mured ;  "  May's  going  to  this  shop,  and  his  consterna- 
tion on  finding  that  there  was  nothing  for  him  there. 
The  accomplice  had  informed  him  of  his  plans,  but  had 
not  been  able  to  inform  him  of  the  failure.  Hence,  from 
this  hour,  the  prisoner  is  left  upon  his  own  resources. 


3o4  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

The  chain  that  bound  him  to  his  accomplice  is  broken ; 
there  is  no  longer  an  understanding  between  them. 
Everything  depends  now  upon  keeping  them  apart. 
That  is  everything !  " 

How  much  he  rejoiced  that  he  had  succeeded  in  hav- 
ing May  removed  to  another  prison.  His  triumph,  in 
case  he  did  succeed,  would  be  the  result  of  this  act  of  dis- 
trust. He  was  convinced  that  this  attempt,  on  the  part 
of  the  accomplice,  had  taken  place  the  very  evening  be- 
fore May  was  removed  to  another  prison ;  and  this  ex- 
plained why  it  had  been  impossible  to  warn  him  of  the 
failure  of  one  plan  and  to  substitute  another. 

Still  following  the  chalk-marks,  Lecoq  had  reached 
the  Odeon.  Here — more  signs ;  but  he  perceived  Father 
Absinthe  under  the  gallery.  The  old  man  was  standing 
before  the  window  of  a  book-store,  apparently  en- 
grossed in  the  examination  of  the  pictures  in  an  illus- 
trated journal. 

Lecoq,  assuming  the  nonchalant  manner  of  the  loafer 
whose  garb  he  wore,  took  a  place  beside  his  colleague. 

"  Where  is  he  ?  "  the  young  man  asked. 

"  There,"  replied  his  companion,  with  a  slight  move- 
ment of  his  head  toward  the  staircase. 

The  fugitive  was,  indeed,  seated  upon  one  of  the 
steps  of  the  stone  stairs,  his  elbows  resting  upon  his 
knees,  his  face  hidden  in  his  hands,  as  if  he  felt  the  ne- 
cessity of  concealing  the  expression  of  his  face  from  the 
passers-by. 

Undoubtedly,  at  that  moment,  he  gave  himself  up 
for  lost.  Alone,  in  the  midst  of  Paris,  without  a  penny, 
what  was  to  become  of  him? 

He  knew  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt,  that  he  was 
watched  ;  that  his  every  step  was  followed  ;  and  he  knew 
only  too  well  that  the  first  attempt  he  made  to  inform  his 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  305 

accomplice  of  his  whereabouts  would  cost  him  his 
secret — the  secret  which  he  held  as  more  precious  than 
life  itself,  and  which,  by  immense  sacrifices,  he  had 
thus  far  been  able  to  preserve. 

After  contemplating  in  silence  for  some  time  this  un- 
fortunate man  whom  he  could  but  esteem  and  admire, 
after  all,  Lecoq  turned  to  his  old  companion. 

"  What  did  he  do  on  the  way  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  He  went  into  the  shops  of  five  dealers  in  second- 
hand clothing  without  success.  Then  he  addressed  a 
man  who  was  passing  with  a  lot  of  old  rubbish  on  his 
shoulder ;  but  the  man  would  not  even  answer  him." 

Lecoq  nodded  his  head  thoughtfully. 

"  The  moral  of  this  is,  that  there  is  a  vast  difference 
between  theory  and  practice,"  he  remarked.  "  Here  is  a 
man  who  has  made  the  most  discerning  believe  that  he  is 
a  poor  devil,  a  low  buffoon ;  so  much  as  he  prated  of  the 
misfortunes  and  the  hazards  of  his  existence —  He  is 
free;  and  this  so-called  Bohemian  does  not  know  how 
to  go  to  work  to  sell  the  clothing  that  he  wears  upon  his 
back.  The  comedian  who  could  play  his  part  so  well 
upon  the  stage,  disappears ;  the  man  remains — the  man 
who  has  always  been  rich,  and  who  knows  nothing  of  the 
vicissitudes  of  life." 

He  ceased  his  moralizing,  for  May  had  risen  from 
his  seat. 

Lecoq  was  only  ten  paces  from  him,  and  could  see  him 
very  plainly. 

The  wretched  man's  face  was  livid ;  his  attitude  ex- 
pressed the  most  profound  dejection ;  one  could  read  his 
indecision  in  his  eyes. 

Perhaps  he  was  wondering  if  it  would  not  be  best 
for  him  to  go  and  place  himself  again  in  the  hands  of  his 


306  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

jailers,  since  the  resources  upon  which  he  had  depended 
had  failed  him. 

But,  after  a  little,  he  shook  off  the  torpor  that  had 
overpowered  him  ;  his  eye  brightened,  and,  with  a  gest- 
ure of  defiance,  he  descended  the  staircase,  crossed  the 
open  square  and  entered  the  Rue  de  1'Ancienne-Com- 
edie. 

He  walked  on  now  with  a  brisk,  determined  step,  like 
a  man  who  has  an  aim  in  view. 

"  Who  knows  where  he  is  going  now?  "  murmured 
Father  Absinthe,  as  he  trotted  along  by  Lecoq's  side. 

"  I  know,"  replied  the  detective.  "  And  the  proof  is, 
that  I  am  going  to  leave  you,  and  run  on  in  advance,  to 
prepare  for  his  reception.  I  may  be  mistaken,  however, 
and  as  it  is  necessary  to  be  prepared  for  any  emergency, 
leave  me  the  chalk-marks  as  you  go  along.  If  our  man 
does  not  come  to  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg,  as  I  think 
he  will,  I  shall  come  back  here  to  start  in  pursuit  of  you 
again." 

An  empty  fiacre  chanced  to  be  passing;  Lecoq  en- 
tered it  and  told  the  coachman  to  drive  to  the  Northern 
Railway  depot  by  the  shortest  route,  and  as  quickly  as 
possible. 

He  had  little  time  to  spare,  so  while  he  was  on  the 
way  he  profited  by  the  opportunity  to  pay  the  driver  and 
to  search  in  his  note-book,  among  the  documents  con- 
fided to  him  by  M.  Segmuller,  for  the  particular  paper 
that  he  wanted. 

The  carriage  had  scarcely  stopped  before  Lecoq  was 
on  the  ground  and  running  toward  the  hotel. 

As  on  the  occasion  of  his  first  visit,  he  found  Mme. 
Milner  standing  upon  a  chair  before  the  cage  of  her 
starling,  obstinately  repeating  her  German  phrase,  to 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3°7 

which  the  bird  with  equal  obstinacy  responded :  "  Ca- 
milie !  where  is  Camille  ?  " 

In  seeing  the  rather  questionable-looking  individual 
who  invaded  her  hotel,  the  pretty  widow  did  not  deign 
to  change  her  position. 

"  What  do  you  want  ?  "  she  demanded,  in  a  rather 
discouraging  tone. 

"  I  am  the  nephew  of  a  messenger  in  the  Palais  de 
Justice,"  Lecoq  responded,  with  an  awkward  bow,  en- 
tirely in  keeping  with  his  attire.  "  On  going  to  see  my 
uncle  this  morning,  I  found  him  laid  up  with  the  rheu- 
matism ;  and  he  asked  me  to  bring  you  this  paper  in  his 
stead.  It  is  a  citation  for  you  to  appear  at  once  before 
the  judge  of  instruction." 

This  reply  induced  Mme.  Milner  to  abandon  her 
perch.  She  took  the  paper  and  read  it.  It  was,  in- 
deed, as  this  singular  messenger  had  said. 

"  Very  well,"  she  responded ;  "  give  me  time  to  throw 
a  shawl  over  my  shoulder  and  I  will  obey." 

Lecoq  withdrew  with  another  awkward  bow ;  but  he 
had  not  crossed  the  threshold  before  a  significant 
grimace  betrayed  his  inward  satisfaction. 

She  had  duped  him  once,  now  he  had  repaid  her. 

He  crossed  the  street,  and  seeing  on  the  corner  of  the 
Rue  Saint-Quentin  a  house  in  process  of  construction, 
he  concealed  himself  there,  waiting. 

"  Time  to  slip  on  my  bonnet  and  shawl,  and  I  will 
start !  " 

Mme.  Milner  had  replied  thus.  But  she  was  forty 
years  of  age,  a  widow,  a  blonde,  very  pretty,  and  very 
agreeable  still,  at  least  in  the  opinion  of  the  commis- 
sioner of  police  in  that  quarter,  so  she  required  more 
than  ten  minutes  to  tie  the  strings  of  her  blue  velvet 
bonnet. 


3o8  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

At  the  thought  that  May  might  arrive  at  any  moment, 
Lecoq  felt  a  cold  perspiration  issue  from  the  pores  of  his 
entire  body. 

How  much  was  he  in  advance  of  the  fugitive  ?  A  half 
hour,  perhaps !  And  he  had  accomplished  only  half  of 
his  task. 

The  shadow  of  each  passer-by  made  him  shudder. 

At  last  the  coquettish  mistress  of  the  hotel  made  her 
appearance  as  radiant  as  a  spring  morning. 

She  probably  wished  to  make  up  for  the  time  spent  in 
making  her  toilet,  for  as  she  turned  the  corner  she  began 
to  run. 

As  soon  as  she  was  out  of  sight,  the  young  detective 
bounded  from  his  place  of  concealment,  and  burst  into 
the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg  like  a  bomb-shell. 

Fritz,  the  Bavarian  lad,  must  have  been  warned  that 
the  house  was  to  be  left  in  his  sole  charge  for  some 
hours,  and — he  was  guarding  it. 

He  was  comfortably  established  in  his  mistress's  own 
particular  arm-chair,  his  legs  resting  upon  another 
chair,  and  he  was  already  sound  asleep. 

"  Wake  up !  "  shouted  Lecoq ;  "  wake  up !  " 

At  the  sound  of  this  voice,  which  rang  like  a  trum- 
pet-blast, Fritz  sprang  to  his  feet  frightened  half  out  of 
his  wits. 

"  You  see  that  I  am  an  agent  of  the  prefecture  of 
police,"  said  the  visitor,  showing  his  badge,  "  and  if  you 
wish  to  avoid  all  sorts  of  disagreeable  things,  the  least 
of  which  will  be  a  sojourn  in  prison,  you  must  obey  me." 

The  boy  trembled  in  every  limb. 

"  I  will  obey,"  he  stammered.  "  But  what  am  I  to 
do?" 

"  A  very  little  thing.  A  man  is  coming  here  in  a 
moment ;  you  will  know  him  by  his  black  clothes,  and 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3°9 

by  his  long  beard.  You  must  reply  to  him  word  for 
word,  as  I  tell  you.  And  remember,  if  you  make  any 
mistake,  even  an  involuntary  one,  you  will  suffer  for 
it." 

"  You  may  rely  upon  me,  sir,"  replied  Fritz.  "  I 
have  an  excellent  memory." 

The  prospect  of  a  prison  had  terrified  him  into  abject 
submission.  He  spoke  the  truth ;  one  might  have  asked 
anything  of  him. 

Lecoq  profited  by  this  disposition ;  and  with  clearness 
and  conciseness  he  told  the  lad  what  he  was  to  do. 

When  he  had  finished  his  explanation,  he  added : 

"  Now,  I  wish  to  see  and  hear.  Where  can  I  hide 
myself?" 

Fritz  pointed  to  a  glass  door. 

"  In  the  dark  room  there,  sir.  By  leaving  the  door 
ajar  you  can  hear,  and  you  can  see  everything  through 
the  glass." 

Without  a  word  Lecoq  darted  into  the  room  desig- 
nated, for  the  spring-bell  on  the  outer  door  announced 
the  arrival  of  some  visitor. 

It  was  May. 

"  I  desire  to  speak  to  the  mistress  of  this  hotel,"  he 
said. 

"Which  mistress?" 

"  The  woman  who  received  me  when  I  came  here  six 
weeks  ago " 

"  I  understand,"  interrupted  Fritz ;  "  it  is  Madame 
Milner  whom  you  wish  to  see.  You  come  too  late ;  she 
no  longer  owns  this  house.  She  sold  it  about  a  month 
ago,  and  has  returned  to  her  former  home,  Alsace." 

The  man  stamped  his  foot  with  a  terrible  oath. 

"  I  have  a  claim  to  make  upon  her,"  he  insisted. 

"  Do  you  wish  me  to  call  her  successor  ?  " 


3io  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

In  his  place  of  concealment,  Lecoq  could  not  help  ad- 
miring Fritz,  who  was  uttering  these  glaring  falsehoods 
with  that  air  of  perfect  candor  which  gives  the  Germans 
such  an  advantage  over  people  of  the  south,  who  seem 
to  be  lying  even  when  they  are  telling  the  truth. 

"  The  successor  will  send  me  walking !  "  exclaimed 
May.  "  I  came  to  reclaim  the  money  I  paid  for  a 
room  which  I  have  never  used." 

"  Such  money  is  never  refunded." 

The  man  muttered  some  incoherent  threat,  in  which 
such  words  as  "  evident  stealing  "  and  "  justice  "  could 
be  distinguished ;  then  he  went  out,  slamming  the  door 
violently  behind  him. 

"  Well !  did  I  answer  properly  ?  "  Fritz  triumphant- 
ly demanded,  as  Lecoq  emerged  from  his  hiding-place. 

"  Yes,  perfectly,"  replied  the  detective. 

And  pushing  aside  the  boy,  who  was  standing  in  his 
way,  he  dashed  after  May. 

A  vague  fear  almost  suffocated  him. 

It  had  struck  him  that  the  fugitive  had  not  been  either 
surprised  or  deeply  affected  by  the  news  he  had  heard. 
He  had  come  to  the  hotel  depending  upon  Mme.  Mil- 
ner's  aid ;  the  news  of  the  departure  of  this  woman,  who 
was  the  confidential  friend  of  his  accomplice,  might  rea- 
sonably be  expected  to  terrify  him. 

Had  he  divined  the  ruse  that  had  been  played  upon 
him?  And  how? 

His  good  sense  told  him  so  plainly  that  the  fugitive 
must  have  been  put  on  his  guard  that  Lecoq's  first 
question,  on  rejoining  Father  Absinthe,  was : 

"  May  spoke  to  someone  on  his  way  to  the  hotel." 

"  Why,  how  could  you  know  that  ?  "  exclaimed  the 
worthy  man,  greatly  astonished. 

"  Ah !  I  was  sure  of  it !     To  whom  did  he  speak  ?  " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3" 

"  To  a  very  pretty  woman,  upon  my  word ! — fair  and 
plump  as  a  partridge." 

Lecoq  turned  green  with  anger. 

"  Fate  is  against  us !  "  he  exclaimed  with  an  oath.  "  I 
run  on  in  advance  to  Madame  Milner's  house,  so  that 
May  shall  not  see  her.  I  invent  an  excuse  for  sending 
her  out  of  the  hotel,  and  they  encounter  each  other." 

Father  Absinthe  gave  a  despairing  gesture. 

"  Ah !  if  I  had  known !  "  he  murmured ;  "  but  you  did 
not  tell  me  to  prevent  May  from  speaking  to  the  pass- 
ers-by." 

"  Never  mind,  my  old  friend,"  said  Lecoq,  consol- 
ingly ;  "  it  could  not  have  been  helped." 

The  fugitive  had  reached  the  Faubourg  Montmartre, 
and  his  pursuers  were  obliged  to  hasten  forward  and 
get  closer  to  their  man,  that  they  might  not  lose  him  in 
the  crowd. 

When  they  had  almost  overtaken  him : 

"  Now,"  resumed  Lecoq,  "  give  me  the  details. 
Where  did  they  meet  ?  " 

"  On  the  Rue  Saint-Quentin." 

"  Which  saw  the  other  first?  " 

"  May." 

"  What  did  the  woman  say  ?  Did  you  hear  any  cry 
of  surprise  ?  " 

"  I  heard  nothing,  because  I  was  quite  fifty  paces  from 
them ;  but  by  the  woman's  manner,  I  could  see  that  she 
was  stupefied." 

Ah !  if  Lecoq  could  have  witnessed  the  scene,  what 
valuable  deductions  he  would  have  drawn  from  it ! 

"  Did  they  talk  for  a  long  time?  " 

"  For  less  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

"  Do  you  know  whether  Madame  Milner  gave  May 
money,  or  not  ?  " 


312  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  I  cannot  say.  They  gesticulated  like  mad — so  vio- 
lently, indeed,  that  I  thought  they  were  quarrelling." 

They  knew  they  were  watched,  and  they  were  en- 
deavoring to  divert  suspicion. 

"If  they  would  only  arrest  this  woman  and  question 
her,"  suggested  Father  Absinthe. 

"  What  good  would  it  do  ?  Has  not  Monsieur  Seg- 
muller  examined  and  cross-examined  her  a  dozen  times 
without  drawing  anything  from  her !  Ah  !  she  is  a  cun- 
ning one.  She  would  declare  that  May  met  her  and  in- 
sisted that  she  should  refund  the  ten  francs  that  he  paid 
her  for  his  room.  We  must  do  our  best,"  he  continued, 
with  a  sort  of  resignation.  "  If  the  accomplice  has  not 
been  warned  already,  he  will  soon  be  told,  and  we  must 
try  to  keep  the  two  men  apart.  What  ruse  they  will 
employ,  I  cannot  divine.  But  I  know  that  it  will  be 
nothing  hackneyed." 

Lecoq's  presumptions  made  Father  Absinthe  trem- 
ble. 

"  The  surest  way,  perhaps,  would  be  to  lock  him  up 
again ! " 

"  No !  "  replied  the  detective.  "  I  desire  his  secret ; 
I  will  have  it.  What  will  be  said  of  us,  if  we  two  allow 
this  man  to  escape  us  ?  He  will  not,  I  think,  be  visible 
and  invisible  by  turns,  like  the  devil.  We  will  see  what 
he  is  going  to  do  now  that  he  has  money  and  a  plan — for 
he  has  both  at  the  present  moment.  I  would  stake  my 
right  hand  upon  it." 

At  that  same  instant,  as  if  the  prisoner  intended  to 
convince  Lecoq  of  the  truth  of  his  suspicions,  he  entered 
a  tobacco  store,  and  emerged,  an  instant  afterward,  with 
a  cigar  in  his  mouth. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  313 


CHAPTER  XXXVII 

The  mistress  of  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg  had  given 
May  money ;  the  purchase  of  this  cigar  proved  it  con- 
clusively. 

\  But  had  they  agreed  upon  any  plan  ?  Had  they  had 
time  to  decide,  point  by  point,  upon  the  method  to  be 
employed  in  evading  the  pursuers? 

It  would  seem  so,  since  the  conduct  of  the  fugitive  had 
changed  in  more  respects  than  one. 

Until  now,  he  had  appeared  to  care  little  for  the  dan- 
ger of  being  pursued  and  overtaken ;  but  after  his  meet- 
ing with  Mme.  Milner,  he  seemed  uneasy  and  agitated. 
After  walking  so  long  in  the  full  sunlight,  with  his  head 
high  in  the  air,  he  appeared  to  have  been  seized  by  a 
sort  of  panic ;  and  he  now  slunk  along  in  the  shadow  of 
the  houses,  hiding  himself  as  much  as  possible. 

"  It  is  evident  that  the  man's  fears  are  augmented  by 
reason  of  his  hopes,"  said  Lecoq  to  his  companion.  "  He 
was  totally  discouraged  in  the  Odeon ;  the  merest  trifle 
would  have  decided  him  to  surrender  himself ;  now  he 
thinks  he  has  a  chance  to  escape  with  his  secret." 

The  fugitive  had  followed  the  boulevard  as  far  as  the 
Place  Vendome;  he  crossed  it,  and  turned  toward  the 
Temple. 

Soon  after,  Father  Absinthe  and  his  companion  saw 
him  conversing  with  one  of  those  importunate  mer- 
chants who  consider  every  passer-by  their  lawful  prey. 

The  dealer  set  a  price  on  an  article,  and  May  feebly 
demurred ;  but  he  finally  yielded,  and  disappeared  in  the 
shop. 

"  He  has  determined  on  a  change  of  costume.    Is  it 


3H  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

not  always  the  first  impulse  of  an  escaped  prisoner  ?  "  re- 
marked Lecoq. 

Soon  May  emerged  from  the  store,  metamorphosed 
from  head  to  foot.  • 

He  was  now  clad  in  heavy  dark-blue  linen  pantaloons, 
and  a  loosely  fitting  coat  of  rough  woollen  material.  A 
gay  silk  'kerchief  was  knotted  about  his  throat;  and 
upon  his  head  was  a  soft  cap  with  a  visor ;  this  he  had 
perched  rakishly  over  one  ear. 

Really,  he  was  but  little  more  prepossessing  in  his  ap- 
pearance than  Lecoq  himself.  One  would  have  hesi- 
tated before  deciding  which  of  the  two  men  one  would 
prefer  to  meet  in  the  depths  of  a  lonely  forest. 

He  seemed  content  with  his  transformation,  and  ap- 
peared more  at  ease  in  his  new  attire.  There  was  evi- 
dent suspicion  in  the  glance  he  cast  around  him,  as  if  he 
were  endeavoring  to  discover  which  persons  among  the 
crowd  were  charged  with  watching  him,  and  wresting 
his  secret  from  him. 

He  had  not  parted  with  his  broadcloth  suit ;  he  was 
carrying  it  under  his  arm,  wrapped  in  a  handkerchief. 
He  had  bought,  but  had  not  sold  ;  he  had  diminished  his 
capital,  and  not  augmented  it.  He  had  left  only  his  tall 
silk  hat. 

Lecoq  wished  to  enter  the  store  and  make  some  in- 
quiries ;  but  he  felt  that  it  would  be  an  act  of  imprudence 
on  his  part,  for  May  had  settled  his  cap  upon  his  head 
with  a  gesture  that  left  no  doubt  of  his  intentions. 

A  second  after  he  turned  into  the  Rue  du  Temple. 
Now  the  chase  began  in  earnest ;  and  soon  the  two  pur- 
suers had  all  they  could  do  to  follow  their  man,  who 
seemed  endowed  with  the  agility  of  a  deer. 

May  had  probably  lived  in  England  and  in  Germany, 
since  he  spoke  the  language  of  these  countries  like  a 


There  was  evident  suspicion  in  the  glance  he  cast  around  him. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3' 5 

native;  but  one  thing  was  certain — he  knew  Paris  as 
thoroughly  as  the  oldest  Parisian. 

This  was  demonstrated  by  the  way  in  which  he  dashed 
into  the  Rue  des  Gravilliers,  and  the  precision  of  his 
course  through  the  multitude  of  winding  streets  that  lie 
between  the  Rue  du  Temple  and  the  Rue  Beaubourg. 

He  seemed  to  know  this  quarter  perfectly ;  as  well,  in- 
deed, as  if  he  had  spent  half  his  life  there.  He  knew 
all  the  public  houses  that  had  two  outside  doors — all  the 
by-ways  and  tortuous  lanes. 

Twice  he  almost  escaped  his  pursuers ;  once  his  sal- 
vation hung  upon  a  thread.  If  he  had  remained  in  an 
obscure  corner,  where  he  was  completely  hidden,  only 
an  instant  longer,  the  two  detectives  would  have  passed 
him,  and  his  safety  would  have  been  assured. 

The  pursuit  presented  immense  difficulties.  Night 
was  coming  on,  and  with  it  that  light  fog  which  almost 
invariably  follows  the  earliest  days  of  spring.  The 
street-lamps  glimmered  luridly  in  the  mist,  without 
throwing  their  light  any  considerable  distance. 

And  to  add  to  these  difficulties,  the  streets  were  now 
thronged  with  workmen  who  were  returning  home  after 
the  labors  of  the  day,  with  housewives  purchasing  pro- 
visions for  supper;  and  around  every  house  its  nu- 
merous occupants  were  swarming  like  bees  around  their 
hive. 

May  took  advantage  of  every  opportunity  to  mislead 
the  persons  who  might  be  following  him.  Groups  of 
people,  collisions  between  carriages,  he  utilized  them  all 
with  such  marvellous  presence  of  mind  and  such  rare 
skill,  that  he  often  glided  through  the  crowd  without 
leaving  any  sign  of  his  passage. 

At  last  he  left  the  Rue  des  Gravilliers  and  entered  a 


316  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

broader  street.  Reaching  the  Boulevard  de  Sebastopol, 
he  turned  to  the  left,  and  took  a  fresh  start. 

He  darted  on  with  marvellous  rapidity,  his  elbows 
pressed  closely  to  his  body,  husbanding  his  breath,  and 
timing  his  steps  with  the  precision  of  a  dancing-master. 

Stopping  for  nothing,  without  once  turning  his  head, 
he  hurried  on. 

And  it  was  with  the  same  regular  but  rapid  pace  that 
he  went  down  the  Boulevard  de  Sebastopol,  that  he 
crossed  the  Place  du  Chatelet,  and  again  entered  the 
Boulevard  Saint-Michel. 

Some  fiacres  were  stationed  nearby. 

May  addressed  one  of  the  drivers,  and  after  a  few 
moments'  conversation  entered  his  carriage. 

The  fiacre  started  off  at  a  rapid  pace. 

But  May  was  not  in.  He  had  only  passed  through 
the  carriage,  and  just  as  the  driver  was  starting  on  an 
imaginary  route  which  had  been  paid  for  in  advance, 
May  slipped  into  another  vehicle,  which  was  standing 
beside  the  fiacre  he  had  hired  first,  and  the  carriage  left 
the  stand  at  a  gallop. 

Perhaps,  after  so  many  ruses,  after  such  a  formidable 
effort,  after  this  last  stratagem — perhaps  May  believed 
that  he  was  free.  He  was  mistaken. 

Behind  the  fiacre  which  bore  him  onward,  leaning 
back  upon  the  cushion  to  rest — a  man  was  running.  It 
was  Lecoq. 

Poor  Father  Absinthe  had  fallen  by  the  way.  Before 
the  Palais  de  Justice  he  paused,  exhausted  and  breath- 
less, and  Lecoq  had  little  hope  of  seeing  him  again,  since 
he  had  all  he  could  do  to  keep  his  man  in  sight,  without 
stopping  to  make  the  chalk-marks  agreed  upon. 

May  had  ordered  his  coachman  to  carry  him  to  the 
Place  d'ltalie ;  and  had  requested  him  to  stop  exactly  in 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  317 

the  middle  of  the  square.  This  was  about  a  hundred 
paces  from  the  station-house  in  which  he  had  been  in- 
carcerated with  the  Widow  Chupin. 

When  the  carriage  stopped  he  sprang  to  the  ground, 
and  cast  a  rapid  glance  around  him,  as  if  looking  for 
some  dreaded  shadow. 

He  saw  nothing.  Although  surprised  by  the  sudden 
checking  of  the  vehicle,  the  detective  had  yet  had  time 
to  fling  himself  flat  on  his  stomach  under  the  body  of 
the  carriage,  though  not  without  danger  of  being 
crushed  by  the  wheels. 

More  and  more  reassured,  apparently  May  paid  the 
coachman,  and  retraced  his  course  to  the  Rue  Mouffe- 
tard. 

With  a  bound,  Lecoq  was  on  his  feet  again,  and 
started  after  him,  as  eagerly  as  a  ravenous  dog  follows 
a  bone.  He  had  reached  the  shadow  cast  by  the  large 
trees  in  the  outer  boulevards,  when  a  faint  whistle  re- 
sounded in  his  ears. 

"  Father  Absinthe !  "  he  exclaimed,  surprised  and  de- 
lighted. 

"  The  same,"  replied  that  good  man,  "  and  quite 
rested,  thanks  to  a  good  fellow  who  was  passing  in  a 
wagon  and  who  picked  me  up  and  brought  me  here " 

"  Oh,  enough  !  "  interrupted  Lecoq.  "  Let  us  keep 
our  eyes  open." 

May  stopped  before  first  one  and  then  another  of  the 
numerous  saloons  in  that  locality.  He  seemed  to  be 
looking  for  something. 

After  peering  through  the  glass  doors  of  three  of 
these  establishments,  he  entered  the  fourth. 

The  glass  was  not  glazed;  and  the  two  detectives 
looked  through  the  panes  with  all  their  eyes. 

They  saw  the  prisoner  cross  the  room  and  seat  him- 


318  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

self  at  a  table,  where  a  man  of  unusual  size,  ruddy-faced 
and  gray-whiskered,  was  already  seated. 

"  The  accomplice !  "  murmured  Father  Absinthe. 

Was  this  really  the  redoubtable  accomplice  ? 

Under  other  circumstances  Lecoq  would  have  hesi- 
tated to  place  dependence  on  a  vague  similarity  in  per- 
sonal appearance ;  but  here  probabilities  were  so  strong- 
ly in  favor  of  Father  Absinthe's  assertion  that  the  young 
detective  admitted  its  truth  at  once. 

Was  not  this  meeting  the  logical  sequence,  the  mani- 
fest result  of  the  chance  meeting  between  the  fugitive 
and  the  fair-haired  mistress  of  the  Hotel  de  Mariem- 
bourg ! 

"  May,"  thought  Lecoq,  "  began  by  taking  all  the 
money  Madame  Milner  had  about  her;  he  afterward 
charged  her  to  tell  his  accomplice  to  come  and  wait 
for  him  in  some  saloon  near  here.  If  he  hesitated  and 
looked  in  the  different  establishments,  it  was  only  be- 
cause he  had  not  been  able  to  specify  exactly  which  one. 
If  they  do  not  throw  aside  the  mask,  it  will  be  because 
May  is  not  sure  that  he  has  eluded  pursuit,  and  because 
the  accomplice  fears  that  Madame  Milner  has  been  fol- 
lowed." 

The  accomplice,  if  it  was  really  the  accomplice,  had 
resorted  to  a  disguise  not  unlike  that  adopted  by  May 
and  Lecoq.  He  wore  a  dirty  old  blue  blouse,  and  a 
hideous  old  slouch  hat,  really  in  tatters.  He  had  rather 
exaggerated  his  make-up,  for  his  sinister  physiognomy 
was  noticeable,  even  among  the  depraved  and  ferocious 
faces  of  the  other  denizens  of  the  saloon. 

For  it  was  a  regular  den  of  cut-throats  and  of  thieves 
that  they  had  chosen  for  their  rendezvous.  There  were 
not  four  workmen  there  who  were  worthy  of  the  name. 
All  the  men  who  were  eating  and  drinking  there,  were 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  319 

more  or  less  familiar  with  prison  life.  The  least  to  be" 
dreaded  were  the  loafers  of  the  barrieres,  easily  recog- 
nized by  their  glazed  caps  and  their  loosely  knotted 
neckerchiefs.  The  majority  of  the  company  present 
were  made  up  of  this  class. 

And  yet  May,  that  man  who  was  so  strongly  suspected 
of  belonging  to  the  highest  social  sphere,  seemed  to  be 
perfectly  at  home. 

He  called  for  the  regular  dinner  and  a  portion  of  wine, 
and  literally  devoured  it,  gulping  down  his  soup,  and 
great  morsels  of  beef,  and  wiping  his  mouth  upon  the 
back  of  his  sleeve. 

But  was  he  conversing  with  his  neighbor  ?  It  was  im- 
possible to  discern  this  through  the  glass  obscured  by 
smoke  and  steam. 

"  I  must  go  in,"  said  Lecoq,  resolutely.  "  I  must  get  a 
place  near  them,  and  listen." 

"  Do  not  think  of  doing  it,"  said  Father  Absinthe. 
"  What  if  they  should  recognize  you !  " 

"  They  will  not  recognize  me." 

"  If  they  do,  they  will  kill  you." 

Lecoq  made  a  careless  gesture. 

"  I  really  think  that  they  would  not  hesitate  to  rid 
themselves  of  me  at  any  cost.  But,  nonsense !  A  detec- 
tive who  is  afraid  to  risk  his  life  is  no  better  than  a  low 
spy.  Why !  you  saw  that  Gevrol,  even,  did  not  flinch." 

Perhaps  the  old  man  had  wished  to  ascertain  if  his 
companion's  courage  was  equal  to  his  shrewdness  and 
sagacity.  He  was  satisfied  on  this  score  now. 

"  You,  my  friend,  will  remain  here  to  follow  them  if 
they  leave  hurriedly,"  added  Lecoq. 

He  had  already  turned  the  knob  of  the  door;  he 
pushed  it  open,  entered,  and  taking  a  seat  at  a  table  near 


320  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

* 

that  occupied  by  the  fugitive,  he  demanded  a  chop  and 
a  dram  in  a  hoarse,  guttural  voice. 

The  fugitive  and  the  man  in  the  slouch  hat  were  talk- 
ing, but  like  strangers  who  had  met  by  chance,  and  not 
at  all  like  friends  who  had  met  at  a  rendezvous. 

They  were  speaking  the  jargon  of  their  pretended 
rank  in  life,  not  that  puerile  slang  we  find  in  romances 
descriptive  of  low  life,  but  that  vulgar  and  obscene  lan- 
guage which  it  is  impossible  to  render,  so  changeable 
and  so  diverse  is  the  signification  of  its  words. 

"  What  wonderful  actors  !  "  thought  Lecoq ;  "  what 
perfection !  what  method !  How  I  should  be  deceived  if 
I  were  not  absolutely  certain !  " 

The  man  in  the  slouch  hat  held  the  floor ;  and  he  was 
giving  a  detailed  account  of  the  different  prisons  in 
France. 

He  told  the  character  of  the  superintendents  of  the 
principal  prisons,  how  the  discipline  was  much  more 
severe  in  this  institution  than  in  some  other,  and  how 
the  food  at  Poissy  was  worth  ten  times  as  much  as  that 
at  Fontevault. 

Lecoq,  having  finished  his  repast,  ordered  a  small 
glass  of  brandy,  and,  with  his  back  to  the  wall,  and  eyes 
closed,  he  pretended  to  sleep,  and — listened. 

May  began  talking  in  his  turn ;  and  he  narrated  his 
story  (exactly  as  he  had  related  it  to  the  judge),  from 
the  murder  up  to  his  escape,  without  forgetting  to  men- 
tion the  suspicions  regarding  his  identity — suspicions 
which  had  afforded  him  great  amusement,  he  said. 

Now,  he  would  be  perfectly  happy  if  he  had  money 
enough  to  take  him  back  to  Germany.  But  he  did  not 
possess  it,  nor  did  he  know  how  to  procure  it.  He  had 
not  even  succeeded  in  selling  the  clothing  which  be- 
longed to  him,  and  which  he  had  with  him  in  a  bundle. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  321 

Thereupon  the  man  in  the  felt  hat  declared  that  he 
had  too  good  a  heart  to  leave  a  comrade  in  such  em- 
barrassment. He  knew,  in  the  very  same  street,  an 
obliging  dealer  in  such  articles,  and  he  offered  to  take 
May  there  at  once. 

May's  only  response  was  to  rise,  saying,  "  Let  us 
start."  And  they  did  start,  with  Lecoq  still  at  their 
heels. 

They  walked  rapidly  on  until  they  came  to  the  Rue 
Fer-a-Moulin,  then  they  turned  into  a  narrow  and  dim- 
ly lighted  alley,  and  entered  a  dingy  dwelling. 

"  Run  and  ask  the  concierge  if  there  are  not  two  doors 
by  which  one  can  leave  this  house,"  said  Lecoq,  address- 
ing Father  Absinthe. 

The  house,  however,  had  but  one  entrance,  and  the 
two  detectives  waited. 

"  We  are  discovered !  "  murmured  Lecoq.  "  I  am 
sure  of  that.  The  fugitive  must  have  recognized  me, 
or  the  boy  at  the  Hotel  de  Mariembourg  has  described 
me  to  the  accomplice." 

Father  Absinthe  made  no  response,  for  the  two  men 
just  then  came  out  of  the  house.  May  was  jingling 
some  coins  in  his  hand,  and  seemed  to  be  in  very  ill- 
humor. 

"  What  infernal  rascals  these  receivers  of  stolen  goods 
are !  "  he  grumbled. 

Though  he  had  received  only  a  small  sum  for  his 
clothing,  he  probably  felt  that  the  kindness  of  his  com- 
panion ought  to  be  rewarded,  for  May  proposed  that 
they  should  take  a  drink  together,  and  they  entered  a 
wine-shop  nearby,  for  that  purpose. 

They  remained  there  more  than  an  hour,  drinking  to- 
gether, and  left  that  only  to  enter  a  saloon  a  hundred 
paces  distant. 


322  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Turned  out  by  the  proprietor,  who  was  closing  his 
store,  the  friends  took  refuge  in  the  next  one  that  re- 
mained open.  The  owner  drove  them  from  this,  and 
they  hurried  to  another,  then  to  another. 

And  so  by  drinking  of  bottles  of  wine,  in  very  small 
glasses,  they  reached  the  Place  Saint-Michel  about  one 
o'clock  in  the  morning. 

But  there  they  found  nothing  to  drink ;  all  the  saloons 
were  closed. 

The  two  men  then  held  a  consultation  together,  and, 
after  a  short  discussion,  they  walked  arm-in-arm  in 
the  direction  of  the  Faubourg  Saint-Germain,  like  a 
pair  of  friends. 

The  liquor  which  they  had  imbibed  in  such  great 
quantities  seemed  to  produce  its  effect.  They  stag- 
gered considerably  as  they  walked ;  and  they  talked 
very  loudly  and  both  at  the  same  time. 

In  spite  of  the  danger,  Lecoq  advanced  near  enough 
to  seize  some  fragments  of  their  conversation ;  and  the 
words  "  a  good  stroke,"  and  "  money  enough  to  satisfy 
one,"  reached  his  ears. 

Father  Absinthe's  confidence  wavered. 

"  All  this  will  end  badly,"  he  murmured. 

"  Do  not  be  alarmed,"  replied  his  friend.  "  I  do  not 
understand  the  manoeuvres  of  these  wily  confederates,  I 
frankly  confess ;  but  what  does  that  matter  after  all — 
now  that  the  two  men  are  together,  I  feel  sure  of  suc- 
cess— sure.  If  one  runs  away,  the  other  will  remain, 
and  Gevrol  shall  soon  see  which  is  right,  he  or  I." 

Meanwhile  the  pace  of  the  two  drunken  men  had 
slackened  a  trifle. 

By  the  air  with  which  they  examined  the  magnificent 
residences  of  the  Faubourg  Saint-Germain,  one  would 
have  suspected  them  of  the  worst  intentions. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  323 

On  the  Rue  de  Varennes,  only  a  few  steps  from  the 
Rue  de  la  Chaise,  they  paused  before  the  low  wall  that 
surrounded  an  immense  garden. 

The  man  in  the  slouch  hat  now  did  the  talking.  He 
was  explaining  to  May — they  could  tell  by  his  gest- 
ures— that  the  mansion  to  which  this  garden  belonged 
fronted  upon  the  Rue  de  Crenelle. 

"  Bah !  "  growled  Lecoq,  "  how  much  farther  will 
they  carry  this  nonsense  ?  " 

They  carried  it  to  assaulting  the  place. 

By  the  aid  of  his  companion's  shoulders,  May  raised 
himself  to  a  level  with  the  wall,  and  an  instant  after  they 
heard  the  sound  of  his  fall  in  the  garden. 

The  man  in  the  slouch  hat  remained  in  the  street  to 
watch. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII 

The  enigmatical  fugitive  had  accomplished  his 
strange,  his  inconceivable  design  so  quickly  that  Lecoq 
had  neither  the  time  nor  the  desire  to  oppose  him. 

His  amazement  at  this  unexpected  misfortune  was  so 
great  that  for  ten  seconds  it  deprived  him  of  the  power 
of  thought  and  of  motion. 

But  he  quickly  regained  his  self-possession,  and  he 
decided  upon  his  course  with  that  rapidity  of  decision 
which  is  the  good  genius  of  men  of  action. 

With  a  sure  eye  he  measured  the  distance  that  sep- 
arated him  from  May's  accomplice,  and  with  three 
bounds  he  was  upon  him. 

The  man  tried  to  cry  out ;  an  iron  hand  stifled  the  cry 
in  his  throat.  He  tried  to  escape,  and  to  beat  off  his  as- 
sailant, but  a  vigorous  kick  flung  him  to  the  ground  like 
an  infant. 


324  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Before  he  had  time  to  think  of  further  resistance  he 
was  bound,  gagged,  lifted,  and  carried,  half  suffocated, 
around  the  corner  of  the  Rue  de  la  Chaise. 

Not  a  word,  not  an  exclamation,  not  an  oath,  not  even 
a  sound  of  scuffling — nothing. 

Any  suspicious  noise  might  have  reached  May,  on  the 
other  side  of  the  wall,  and  given  him  warning. 

"  How  strange !  "  murmured  Father  Absinthe,  too 
much  amazed  to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  his  younger  col- 
league. "  How  strange !  Who  would  have  sup- 
posed  " 

"  Oh,  enough !  "  interrupted  Lecoq,  in  that  harsh,  im- 
perious voice  which  imminent  peril  always  gives  to  en- 
ergetic men.  "  Enough !  we  will  talk  to-morrow.  I 
must  run  away  for  an  instant,  and  you  will  remain  here. 
If  May  shows  himself,  capture  him ;  do  not  allow  him 
to  escape." 

"  I  understand ;  but  what  is  to  be  done  with  the  man 
who  is  lying  there?  " 

"  Let  him  be  where  he  is.  I  have  bound  him  se- 
curely, so  there  is  nothing  to  fear  from  him.  When 
the  night  police  pass,  we  will  give  him  into  charge " 

He  paused  and  listened.  Not  far  off,  they  heard 
heavy  and  measured  footsteps  approaching. 

"  There  they  are  now,"  said  Father  Absinthe. 

"  Ah !  I  dared  not  hope  it !  I  shall  have  a  good  chance 
now." 

He  had  the  opportunity  he  longed  for,  two  police- 
men, whose  attention  had  been  attracted  by  the  group 
they  saw  on  the  corner  of  the  street,  hastened  toward 
him. 

In  a  few  words,  Lecoq  explained  the  situation.  It  was 
decided  that  one  of  the  policemen  should  take  the  accom- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  32* 

plice  to  the  station-house,  and  that  the  other  should  re- 
main with  Father  Absinthe  to  cut  off  May's  retreat. 

"  And  now,"  said  Lecoq,  "  I  will  run  round  to  the  Rue 
de  Crenelle  and  give  the  alarm.  To  whose  house  does 
this  garden  belong?  " 

"  What !  "  replied  one  of  the  policemen,  in  surprise, 
"  do  you  not  know  the  gardens  of  the  Due  de  Sairmeuse, 
the  famous  duke  who  is  a  millionnaire  ten  times  over, 
and  who  was  formally  the  friend " 

"  I  know,  I  know !  "  said  Lecoq. 

"  The  thief  must  have  fallen  into  a  trap  if  he  put  his 
nose  in  there.  They  had  a  reception  at  the  mansion  this 
evening,  as  they  do  every  Monday,  and  everybody  in  the 
house  is  up.  The  guests  have  scarcely  departed.  There 
were  five  or  six  carriages  still  at  the  door  as  we  passed." 

Lecoq  darted  away,  more  troubled  by  what  he  had 
just  heard  than  he  had  been  before. 

He  understood  now,  that  if  May  had  entered  this 
house,  it  was  not  for  the  purpose  of  committing  a  rob- 
bery, but  in  the  hope  of  throwing  his  pursuers  off  the 
track,  and  making  his  escape  through  the  Rue  de  Gre- 
nelle,  which  he  might  easily  have  done  unnoticed,  in  the 
bustle  and  confusion  attending  the  departure  of  the 
guests. 

This  last  thought  occurred  to  him  on  reaching  the 
Hotel  de  Sairmeuse,  a  princely  dwelling,  whose  im- 
mense fa£ade  was  brilliantly  illuminated. 

The  carriage  of  the  last  guest  was  just  issuing  from 
the  court-yard,  several  footmen  were  extinguishing  the 
lights,  and  the  Swiss,  a  tall  and  imposing  man,  dazzling 
to  behold  in  his  gorgeous  livery,  was  just  closing  the 
heavy,  double  doors  of  the  grand  entrance. 

The  detective  advanced  toward  this  important  person- 
age. 


326  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Is  this  the  Hotel  de  Sairmeuse  ?  "  he  inquired. 

The  Swiss  suspended  his  labors  to  survery  this  auda- 
cious vagabond  who  ventured  to  question  him,  then  in  a 
harsh  voice : 

"  I  advise  you  to  pass  on.  I  want  none  of  your  jest- 
ing." 

Lecoq  had  forgotten  that  he  was  clad  in  the  garb  af- 
fected by  Polyte  Chupin. 

"  Ah !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  I  am  not  what  I  seem  to  be. 
I  am  an  agent  of  the  secret  service,  Monsieur  Lecoq. 
Here  is  my  card,  if  you  will  take  my  word  for  it ;  and  I 
came  to  tell  you  that  an  escaped  criminal  has  just  scaled 
the  garden-wall  of  the  Hotel  de  Sairmeuse." 

"Acrim-in-al?" 

The  detective  thought  a  little  exaggeration  would  do 
no  harm,  and  perhaps  insure  him  more  ready  aid. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied ;  "  and  one  of  the  most  dangerous 
kind — an  assassin  who  has  the  blood  of  three  victims  al- 
ready on  his  hands.  We  have  just  arrested  his  accom- 
plice, who  helped  him  over  the  wall." 

The  ruby  nose  of  the  Swiss  paled  perceptibly. 

"  I  will  summon  the  servants,"  he  faltered. 

And,  suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  raised  his  hand 
to  the  bell-rope,  which  was  used  to  announce  the  arrival 
of  visitors ;  but  Lecoq  stopped  him. 

"  A  word  first !  "  said  he.  "  Might  not  the  fugitive 
have  passed  through  the  house,  and  escaped  by  this  door, 
without  being  seen  ?  In  that  case  he  would  be  far  away 
by  this  time." 

"  Impossible !  " 

"But  why?" 

"  Excuse  me ;  I  know  what  I  am  saying.  First,  the 
door  opening  into  the  garden  is  closed ;  it  is  open  only 
during  grand  receptions,  not  for  our  informal  Monday 


327 

receptions.  Secondly,  Monseigneur  requires  me  to 
stand  upon  the  threshold  of  the  door  when  he  is  re- 
ceiving. To-day  he  repeated  this  order,  and  you  may 
be  sure  that  I  have  not  disobeyed  him." 

"  Since  this  is  the  case,"  said  Lecoq,  slightly  reas- 
sured, "  we  shall  perhaps  succeed  in  finding  our  man. 
Warn  the  servants,  but  without  ringing  the  bell.  The 
less  noise  we  make,  the  greater  will  be  our  chance  of 
success." 

In  a  moment  the  fifty  valets  who  peopled  the  ante- 
chambers, the  stables,  and  the  kitchens  of  the  Hotel  de 
Sairmeuse  were  gathered  together. 

The  great  lanterns  in  the  coach-houses  and  stables 
were  lighted,  and  the  entire  garden  was  illuminated  as 
by  enchantment. 

"  If  May  is  concealed  here,"  thought  Lecoq,  delight- 
ed to  see  so  many  auxiliaries,  "  it  is  impossible  for  him 
to  escape." 

But  it  was  in  vain  that  the  gardens  were  thoroughly 
explored  again  and  again ;  no  one  was  to  be  found. 

The  houses  where  the  gardening  tools  were  kept,  the 
green-houses,  the  summer-houses,  the  two  rustic  pavil- 
ions at  the  foot  of  the  garden,  even  the  dog-kennels, 
were  scrupulously  visited — in  vain. 

The  trees,  with  the  exception  of  the  horse-chestnut, 
at  the  foot  of  the  garden,  were  almost  destitute  of  leaves, 
but  they  were  not  neglected  on  that  account.  An  agile 
boy,  armed  with  a  lantern,  climbed  each  tree,  and  ex- 
plored even  the  topmost  branches. 

"  The  assassin  must  have  gone  out  where  he  came 
in,"  obstinately  repeated  the  Swiss,  who  had  armed 
himself  with  a  huge  pistol,  and  who  would  not  let  go 
his  hold  on  Lecoq,  fearing  an  accident,  perhaps. 

To  convince  him  of  his  error,  it  was  necessary  for 


328  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

Lecoq  to  place  himself  in  communication  with  Father 
Absinthe  and  the  two  policemen  on  the  other  side  of 
the  wall,  for  the  man  who  had  taken  the  accomplice  to 
the  station-house  had  performed  his  duty  and  returned. 

They  responded  by  swearing  that  they  had  not  taken 
their  eyes  off  the  wall,  and  that  not  so  much  as  a  mouse 
had  crossed  it. 

Until  now,  their  explorations  had  been  made  in 
rather  a  hap-hazard  manner,  each  person  obeying  his 
own  inspiration;  but  they  now  recognized  the  neces- 
sity of  a  methodically  conducted  search. 

Lecoq  took  such  measures  that  not  a  corner,  not  a 
recess,  should  escape  scrutiny.  He  was  dividing  the 
task  between  his  willing  assistants,  when  a  new-comer 
appeared  upon  the  scene. 

It  was  a  grave,  smooth-faced  gentleman,  in  the  attire 
of  a  notary. 

"  Monsieur  Otto,  Monseigneur's  first  valet  de  cham- 
bre,"  the  Swiss  murmured  in  Lecoq's  ear. 

This  important  personage  came  on  the  part  of  M.  le 
Due  (he  did  not  say  "  monseigneur  "),  to  inquire  the 
meaning  of  all  this  uproar. 

When  he  had  received  an  explanation,  M.  Otto 
condescended  to  compliment  Lecoq  on  his  efficiency, 
and  to  recommend  that  the  hotel  should  be  searched 
from  garret  to  cellar.  These  precautions  alone  would 
allay  the  fears  of  Mme.  la  Duchesse. 

He  then  departed ;  and  the  search  began  again  with 
renewed  ardor. 

A  mouse  concealed  in  the  gardens  of  the  Hotel  de 
Sairmeuse  could  not  have  escaped  discovery,  so  mi- 
nute were  the  investigations. 

Not  an  object  of  any  size  was  left  undisturbed.   The 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  329 

trees  were  examined  leaf  by  leaf  one  might  almost 
say. 

Occasionally  the  discouraged  servants  proposed  to 
abandon  the  search ;  but  Lecoq  urged  them  on.  He 
ran  from  one  to  the  other,  entreating  and  threatening 
by  turns,  swearing  that  he  asked  only  one  more  effort, 
and  that  this  effort  would  assuredly  be  crowned  with 
success. 

Vain  promises !     The  fugitive  could  not  be  found. 

The  evidence  now  was  conclusive.  To  persist  in  the 
search  longer  would  be  worse  than  folly.  The  young 
detective  decided  to  recall  his  auxiliaries. 

"  That  is  enough,"  he  said,  in  a  despondent  voice. 
"  It  is  now  certain  that  the  murderer  is  no  longer  in  the 
garden." 

Was  he  cowering  in  some  corner  of  the  immense 
house,  white  with  fear,  and  trembling  at  the  noise 
made  by  his  pursuers  ? 

One  might  reasonably  suppose  this  to  be  the  case ; 
and  such  was  the  opinion  of  all  the  servants.  Above 
all,  such  was  the  opinion  of  the  Swiss,  who  renewed 
with  growing  assurance  his  affirmations  of  a  few  mo- 
ments before. 

"  I  have  not  moved  from  the  threshold  of  my  door ; 
and  I  should  certainly  have  seen  any  person  who 
passed  out." 

"  Let  us  go  to  the  house,  then,"  said  Lecoq.  "  But 
first  let  me  ask  my  companion,  who  is  waiting  for  me 
in  the  street,  to  join  me.  It  is  unnecessary  for  him  to 
remain  there  any  longer." 

Father  Absinthe  responded  to  the  summons.  All 
the  lower  doors  were  carefully  closed  and  guarded, 
and  the  search  through  the  Hotel  de  Sairmeuse,  one 


330  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

of  the  largest  and  most  magnificent  residences  in  the 
Faubourg  Saint-Germain,  began. 

But  all  the  marvels  of  the  universe  could  not  have 
won  a  single  glance  or  a  second's  attention  from  Le- 
coq. All  his  mind — all  his  thoughts — were  engrossed 
by  the  prisoner. 

It  is  certain  that  he  traversed  the  superb  drawing- 
rooms,  an  unrivalled  picture-gallery,  a  magnificent 
dining-room,  with  sideboards  groaning  beneath  their 
load  of  .massive  plate,  without  seeing  a  single  object. 

He  went  on,  hurrying  forward  the  servants  who 
were  guiding  and  lighting  him.  He  lifted  heavy  arti- 
cles of  furniture  as  easily  as  he  would  have  lifted  a 
feather ;  he  moved  the  chairs  and  sofas ;  he  explored 
cupboards  and  wardrobes,  examined  hangings,  cur- 
tains, and  portieres. 

No  search  could  have  been  more  complete.  From 
the  court-yard  to  the  garret  not  a  nook  was  left  un- 
explored ;  not  a  corner  was  forgotten. 

After  two  hours  of  continuous  work  Lecoq  returned 
to  the  first  floor.  Only  five  or  six  servants  had  accom- 
panied him  on  his  tour  of  inspection.  The  others  had 
dropped  off  one  by  one,  wearying  of  this  adventure, 
which  had  at  first  possessed  the  attractions  of  a  pleas- 
ure-party. 

"  You  have  seen  everything,  gentlemen,"  declared 
an  old  footman. 

"  Everything !  "  interrupted  the  Swiss ;  "  every- 
thing! Certainly  not.  There  are  the  apartments  of 
Monseigneur  and  those  of  Madame  la  Duchesse  still 
to  be  explored." 

"  Alas !  "  murmured  Lecoq ;  "  what  good  would  it 
do?" 

But  the  Swiss  had  already  gone  to  rap  gently  at  one 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  33* 

01  the  doors  opening  into  the  hall.  His  interest 
equalled  that  of  the  detectives.  They  had  seen  the 
murderer  enter ;  he  had  not  seen  him  go  out ;  therefore 
the  man  was  in  the  hotel,  and  he  wished  him  to  be 
found ;  he  desired  it  intensely. 

The  door  opened,  and  the  grave  and  clean-shaven 
face  of  Otto,  the  first  valet  de  chambre,  showed  itself. 

"  What  the  devil  do  you  want  ? "  he  demanded,  in 
surly  tones. 

"  To  enter  Monseigneur's  room,"  replied  the  Swiss, 
"  in  order  to  see  if  the  fugitive  has  not  taken  refuge 
there." 

"  Are  you  crazy?  "  exclaimed  the  head  valet  de  cham- 
bre. "  Where  could  they  have  entered  here,  and  how? 
Besides,  I  cannot  suffer  Monsieur  le  Due  to  be  dis- 
turbed. He  has  been  at  work  all  night,  and  he  is  just 
going  to  take  a  bath  to  rest  himself  before  going  to 
bed." 

The  Swiss  seemed  much  vexed  at  this  rebuff;  and 
Lecoq  was  presenting  his  excuses,  when  a  voice  was 
heard,  saying: 

"  Let  these  worthy  men  do  their  duty,  Otto." 

"  Ah  !  do  you  hear  that !  "  exclaimed  the  Swiss,  tri- 
umphantly. 

"  Very  well,  since  Monsieur  le  Due  permits.  That 
being  the  case,  come  in,  I  will  light  you  through  the 
apartments." 

Lecoq  entered,  but  it  was  only  for  form's  sake  that 
he  walked  through  the  different  rooms ;  a  library,  an 
admirable  writing-room,  a  charming  smoking-room. 

As  he  was  passing  through  the  bedroom  he  had  the 
honor  of  seeing  M.  le  Due  de  Sairmeuse  through  the 
half-open  door  of  a  small,  white,  marble  bath-room. 


332  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  Ah,  well !  "  cried  the  duke,  affably,  "  is  the  fugitive 
still  invisible  ?  " 

"  Still  invisible,  Monsieur,"  Lecoq  replied  respect- 
fully. 

The  valet  de  chambre  did  not  share  his  master's  good- 
humor. 

"  I  think,  gentlemen,"  said  he,  "  that  you  may  spare 
yourselves  the  trouble  of  visiting  the  apartments  of 
Madame  la  Duchesse.  It  is  a  duty  which  we  have 
taken  upon  ourselves — the  women  and  I — and  we  have 
looked  even  in  the  bureau-drawers. 

Upon  the  landing  the  old  footman,  who  had  not 
ventured  to  enter  his  master's  apartments,  was  await- 
ing the  detectives. 

He  had  doubtless  received  his  orders,  for  he  politely 
inquired  if  they  desired  anything,  and  if,  after  such  a 
fatiguing  night,  they  would  not  find  some  cold  meat 
and  a  glass  of  wine  acceptable. 

Father  Absinthe's  eyes  sparkled.  He  probably 
thought  that  in  this  quasi  royal  abode  they  must  have 
delicious  things  to  eat  and  drink — such  viands,  indeed, 
as  he  had  never  tasted  in  his  life. 

But  Lecoq  brusquely  refused,  and  left  the  Hotel 
de  Sairmeuse,  reluctantly  followed  by  his  old  compan- 
ion. 

The  poor,  disappointed  young  man  was  eager  to  be 
alone.  For  several  hours  he  had  been  obliged  to  exert 
himself  to  the  uttermost  to  conceal  his  rage  and  his 
despair. 

May  escaped !  vanished !  evaporated !  The  thought 
drove  him  almost  mad. 

What  he  had  declared  impossible  had  occurred. 

In  his  confidence  and  pride,  he  had  declared  that  he 
would  answer  for  the  head  of  the  prisoner  with  his  own 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  333 

life;  and  the  prisoner  had  escaped  him — had  slipped 
from  between  his  fingers ! 

When  he  was  once  more  in  the  street,  he  paused 
before  Father  Absinthe,  and,  crossing  his  arms,  de- 
manded : 

"  Well !  my  old  friend,  what  do  you  think  of  all 
this?" 

That  good  man  shook  his  head,  and  in  a  serene  un- 
consciousness of  his  want  of  tact,  responded : 

"  I  think  that  Gevrol  will  chuckle  with  delight." 

At  the  name  of  this,  his  most  cruel  enemy,  Lecoq 
bounded  from  the  ground  like  a  wounded  bull. 

"  Oh !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Gevrol  has  not  won  the 
battle  yet.  We  have  lost  May ;  it  is  a  great  misfort- 
une ;  but  his  accomplice  remains  in  our  hands.  We 
hold  this  crafty  man  who  has  until  now  defeated  all  our 
carefully  arranged  plans.  He  is  certainly  shrewd  and 
devoted  to  his  friend ;  but  we  will  see  if  his  devotion 
will  withstand  the  prospect  of  hard  labor  in  the  peni- 
tentiary. And  that  is  what  awaits  him,  if  he  is  silent, 
and  if  he  thus  accepts  the  responsibility  of  aiding  and 
abetting  the  prisoner's  escape.  Oh !  I  have  no  fears — 
Monsieur  Segmuller  will  know  how  to  draw  the  truth 
out  of  him." 

He  brandished  his  clinched  fist  with  a  threatening 
air ;  then,  in  calmer  tones,  he  added : 

"  But  let  us  go  to  the  station-house  where  he  was 
carried.  I  wish  to  question  him  a  little." 


334  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 


CHAPTER   XXXIX 

It  was  not  daylight,  and  nearly  six  o'clock;  and 
when  Father  Absinthe  and  his  companion  reached  the 
station-house,  they  found  the  superintendent  seated  at 
a  small  table,  making  out  his  report. 

He  did  not  move  when  they  entered,  failing  to  recog- 
nize them  under  their  disguise. 

But  when  they  mentioned  their  names,  the  chief  rose 
with  evident  empressment,  and  extended  his  hand. 

"  Upon  my  word !  "  said  he,  "  I  congratulate  you  on 
your  capture  last  night." 

Father  Absinthe  and  Lecoq  exchanged  an  anxious 
look. 

"  What  capture  ?  "  they  both  asked  in  a  breath. 

"  The  individual  whom  you  sent  me  last  night  so 
carefully  bound." 

"Well?" 

The  superintendent  burst  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

"  So  you  are  ignorant  of  your  good  fortune.  Ah ! 
luck  has  favored  you,  and  you  will  receive  a  very  hand- 
some reward." 

"  Pray  tell  us  what  we  have  captured  ?  "  demanded 
Father  Absinthe,  impatiently. 

"  A  scoundrel  of  the  deepest  dye,  an  escaped  con- 
vict, who  has  been  missing  for  three  months.  You 
must  have  a  description  of  him  in  your  pocket — Joseph 
Couturier,  in  short." 

On  hearing  these  words,  Lecoq  became  so  fright- 
fully pale  that  Father  Absinthe,  believing  him  to  be 
about  to  fall,  extended  his  arms. 

Someone  hastened  to  bring  a  chair,  and  he  seated 
himself. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  335 

"Joseph  Couturier,"  he  faltered,  evidently  uncon- 
scious of  what  he  was  saying.  "  Joseph  Couturier !  an 
escaped  convict ! " 

The  superintendent  certainly  did  not  understand 
Lecoq's  agitation,  any  better  than  he  understood 
Father  Absinthe's  discomfited  air. 

"  You  have  reason  to  be  proud  of  your  work ;  your 
success  will  make  a  sensation  this  morning.  You  have 
captured  a  famous  prize.  I  can  see  Gevrol's  nose  now, 
when  he  hears  the  news.  Only  yesterday  he  was 
boasting  that  he  alone  was  capable  of  securing  this 
dangerous  rascal." 

What  irony  could  be  more  bitter  than  these  compli- 
ments, after  such  an  irreparable  failure.  They  fell 
crushingly  upon  Lecoq,  like  so  many  blows  of  a  ham- 
mer, wounding  him  so  cruelly  that  he  rose,  and  sum- 
moning all  his  energy,  he  said : 

"  You  must  be  mistaken.  This  man  is  not  Coutu- 
rier." 

"  I  am  not  mistaken ;  you  may  be  assured  of  that. 
In  every  respect  he  answers  the  description  appended 
to  the  circular  ordering  his  capture.  Even  the  little 
finger  of  his  left  hand  is  lacking,  as  mentioned  in  the 
order." 

"  Ah !  that  is  a  proof  indeed !  "  groaned  Father  Ab- 
sinthe. 

"  It  is,  indeed.  And  I  know  another  even  more  con- 
clusive. Couturier  is  an  old  acquaintance  of  mine.  I 
have  had  him  in  custody  before ;  and  he  recognized  me 
last  night  as  I  recognized  him." 

After  this,  further  argument  was  impossible ;  so  it 
was  in  an  entirely  different  tone  that  Lecoq  remarked : 

"  At  least,  my  friend,  you  will  allow  me  to  address  a 
few  questions  to  your  prisoner." 


336  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  Oh !  as  many  as  you  like.  But  first,  let  us  bar  the 
door  and  place  two  of  my  men  before  it.  This  Coutu- 
rier has  a  fondness  for  the  open  air,  and  he  would  not 
hesitate  to  dash  out  our  brains  if  he  saw  a  chance  of  es- 
cape." 

After  taking  these  precautions,  the  man  was  re- 
moved from  the  cage  in  which  he  had  been  confined. 

He  advanced  smilingly,  having  already  recovered 
that  nonchalant  manner  common  to  old  offenders  who, 
when  they  are  once  in  custody,  seem  to  lose  all  feeling 
of  anger  against  the  police ;  like  gamblers  who,  having 
lost  all,  shake  hands  with  their  adversary. 

He  at  once  recognized  Lecoq. 

"  Ah !  it  is  you  who  did  the  business  for  me  last 
night.  You  can  boast  of  having  a  solid  fist !  You  fell 
upon  me  very  unexpectedly ;  and  the  back  of  my  neck 
is  still  the  worse  for  your  caresses." 

"  Then,  if  I  were  to  ask  a  favor  of  you,  you  would 
not  be  disposed  to  grant  it  ?  " 

"  Oh,  yes  !  all  the  same.  I  have  no  more  malice  in 
my  composition  than  a  chicken  ;  and  I  rather  like  your 
face.  What  do  you  wish  ?  " 

"  I  should  like  some  information  concerning  your 
companion  of  last  evening." 

The  man's  face  darkened. 

"  I  really  am  unable  to  give  it  to  you,"  he  replied. 

"Why?'" 

"  Because  I  do  not  know  him.  I  never  saw  him 
until  last  evening." 

"  It  is  hard  to  believe  that.  One  does  not  take  the 
first-comer  for  an  expedition  like  yours  last  evening. 
Before  undertaking  such  a  job  with  a  man,  one  finds 
out  something  about  him." 

"  I  do  not  say  that  I  have  not  been  guilty  of  a  stupid 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  337 

blunder.  I  could  murder  myself  for  it.  There  was 
nothing  about  the  man  to  make  me  suspect  that  he 
was  one  of  the  secret  service.  He  spread  a  net  for  me, 
and  I  jumped  into  it.  It  was  made  for  me,  of  course ; 
but  it  was  not  necessary  for  me  to  put  my  foot  into  it." 

"  You  are  mistaken,  my  man,"  said  Lecoq.  "  The 
individual  did  not  belong  to  the  police  force.  I  pledge 
you  my  word  of  honor,  he  did  not." 

For  a  moment  Couturier  surveyed  Lecoq  with  a 
knowing  air,  as  if  he  hoped  to  discover  whether  he 
were  speaking  the  truth  or  attempting  to  deceive  him. 

"  I  believe  you,"  he  said,  at  last.  "  To  prove  it  I  will 
tell  you  how  it  all  happened.  I  was  dining  alone  last 
evening  in  a  restaurant  on  the  Rue  Mouffetard,  when 
that  man  came  in  and  took  a  seat  beside  me.  Natu- 
rally we  began  to  talk ;  and  I  thought  him  a  very  good 
sort  of  a  fellow.  Apropos  of,  I  know  not  what,  he 
mentioned  the  fact  that  he  had  some  clothing  which  he 
desired  to  sell ;  and  I,  glad  to  oblige  him,  took  him  to 
the  house  of  a  friend,  who  purchased  them  from  him. 

"  It  was  doing  him  a  service,  was  it  not  ?  Well,  he 
offered  me  something  to  drink,  and  I  returned  the 
compliment,  so  that  by  midnight  I  began  to  see  double. 

"  He  chose  his  time  to  propose  a  plan,  which  would, 
he  swore,  enrich  us  both.  It  was  to  steal  all  the  silver 
from  a  superb  mansion. 

"  There  would  be  no  risk  for  me ;  he  would  take 
charge  of  the  whole  affair.  I  had  only  to  help  him 
over  the  wall,  and  keep  watch. 

"  It  was  tempting — was  it  not  ?  You  would  have 
thought  so,  had  you  been  in  my  place.  Still  I  hesi- 
tated. 

"  But  the  man  insisted.  He  swore  that  he  was  ac- 
quainted with  the  habits  of  the  house.  That  Monday 


338  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

evening  was  a  grand  gala  night  there,  and  that  on  these 
evenings  the  servants  did  not  lock  up  the  plate.  After 
a  little  I  consented." 

A  fleeting  color  tinged  Lecoq's  pale  cheeks. 

Are  you  sure  that  the  man  told  you  that  the  Due  de 
Sairmeuse  received  every  Monday  evening?"  he 
asked,  eagerly. 

"  Certainly ;  how  else  could  I  have  known  it !  He 
even  mentioned  the  name  you  uttered  just  now,  a  name 
ending  in  — euse." 

A  strange,  absolutely  admissible  thought  had  just 
flitted  through  Lecoq's  mind. 

"  What  if  it  were  he  ?  "  he  said  to  himself.  "  What 
if  May  and  the  Due  de  Sairmeuse  should  be  one  and 
the  same  person  ?  " 

But  he  dismissed  this  idea,  and  despised  himself  for 
entertaining  it,  even  for  a  moment. 

He  cursed  his  inclination  to  look  upon  the  romantic 
and  impossible  side  of  events.  Why  was  it  surprising 
that  a  man  of  the  world,  such  as  he  supposed  May  to 
be,  should  know  the  day  chosen  by  the  Due  de  Sair- 
meuse to  receive  his  friends  ? 

He  had  nothing  more  to  expect  from  Couturier. 
He  thanked  him,  and  after  shaking  hands  with  the 
superintendent,  he  departed,  leaning  on  Father  Ab- 
sinthe's arm. 

For  he  really  had  need  of  a  support.  His  limbs 
trembled  beneath  the  weight  of  his  body;  his  head 
whirled,  and  he  felt  sick  both  in  body  and  in  mind. 

He  had  failed  miserably,  disgracefully.  He  had  flat- 
tered himself  that  he  possessed  a  genius  for  his  calling, 
and  how  easy  it  had  been  to  outwit  him. 

May,  to  rid  himself  of  him,  Lecoq,  had  only  been 
obliged  to  throw  him  a  Dretended  accomplice,  picked 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  339 

up  by  chance  in  a  bar-room,  as  a  hunter,  who  finds  him- 
self too  hard  pressed  by  a  bear,  throws  him  his  glove. 
And,  like  a  stupid  beast,  he  had  been  deceived  by 
this  commonplace  stratagem. 

Father  Absinthe  was  rendered  uneasy  by  his  col- 
league's evident  dejection. 

"  Where  are  we  going  ?  "  he  inquired ;  "  to  the  Palais 
de  Justice,  or  to  the  prefecture  ?  " 

Lecoq  shuddered  on  hearing  this  question,  which 
brought  him  face  to  face  with  the  horrible  reality  of  his 
situation. 

"  To  the  prefecture !  "  he  responded.  "  Why  should 
I  go  there  ?  To  expose  myself  to  Gevrol's  insults,  per- 
haps !  I  have  not  courage  enough  for  that.  Nor  do 
I  feel  that  I  have  strength  to  go  to  Monsieur  Segmuller 
and  say :  '  Forgive  me ;  you  have  judged  me  too  fa- 
vorably. I  am  a  fool.' " 
"What  are  we  to  do?" 

"  Ah !   I  do  not  know.     Perhaps  I  shall  embark  for 
America — perhaps  I  will  throw  myself  into  the  river." 
He  had  proceeded  about  one  hundred  feet,  when  he 
stopped  short. 

"  No ! "  he  exclaimed,  with  a  furious  stamp  of  the 
foot.  "  No,  this  affair  shall  not  end  where  it  is.  I 
have  sworn  that  I  will  have  the  solution  of  this  enigma 
—and  I  will  have  it !  " 

For  a  moment  he  reflected ;  then,  in  a  calmer  voice, 
he  added : 

"  There  is  one  man  who  can  save  us,  a  man  who  will 
see  what  I  have  not  been  able  to  see,  who  will  under- 
stand what  I  could  not  understand.  Let  us  go  and  ask 
counsel  of  him ;  my  course  will  depend  upon  his  re- 
sponse— come ! " 


340  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 


CHAPTER  XL 

After  a  day  and  a  night  like  those  through  which 
they  had  just  passed,  one  would  have  supposed  that 
these  two  men  must  have  felt  an  irresistible  desire  to 
sleep. 

But  Lecoq  was  upheld  by  wounded  vanity,  intense 
disappointment,  and  a  hope  of  revenge  which  was  not 
yet  extinguished. 

As  for  Father  Absinthe,  he  was  not  unlike  those 
poor  horses  attached  to  a  hackney  coach,  and  which, 
having  forgotten  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  repose, 
are  no  longer  conscious  of  fatigue,  and  travel  on  until 
they  fall  dead. 

He  felt  that  his  limbs  were  failing  him ;  but  Lecoq 
said :  "  It  is  necessary,"  and  so  he  walked  on. 

They  went  to  Lecoq's  humble  lodgings,  where  they 
laid  aside  their  disguise,  and,  after  breakfast,  started 
again. 

It  was  to  the  Rue  Saint-Lazare,  a  few  steps  from  the 
prison,  that  the  two  men  repaired.  They  entered  one 
of  the  handsomest  houses  on  the  street,  and  inquired  of 
the  concierge: 

"  Where  is  Monsieur  Tabaret?  " 

"  Ah !  he  is  sick." 

"  Very  sick  ?  "  inquired  Lecoq,  anxiously. 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell,"  replied  the  man ;  "  it  is  his  old 
trouble — gout." 

And  with  an  air  of  hypocritical  commiseration,  he 
added : 

"  Monsieur  is  not  wise  to  lead  the  life  he  does. 
Women  are  all  very  well,  but  at  his  age " 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  341 

The  two  detectives  exchanged  a  meaning  glance, 
and  as  soon  as  their  backs  were  turned  they  began  to 
laugh. 

They  were  still  laughing  when  they  rang  the  bell  on 
the  next  floor. 

The  buxom-looking  woman  who  came  to  open  the 
door  informed  them  that  her  master  would  receive 
them,  although  he  was  confined  to  his  bed. 

"  But  the  doctor  is  with  him  now,"  she  added. 
"  Will  the  gentlemen  wait  until  he  has  gone  ?  " 

The  gentlemen  replying  in  the  affirmative,  she  con- 
ducted them  into  a  handsome  library,  and  invited  them 
to  take  a  seat. 

This  man  whom  Lecoq  had  come  to  consult  was 
celebrated  for  his  wonderful  shrewdness,  and  his  pene- 
tration exceeded  the  bounds  of  possibility. 

He  was  an  old  employee  of  the  Mont-de-Piete, 
where  he  held  a  position  for  forty-five  years,  just  man- 
aging to  exist  upon  the  meagre  stipend  he  received. 

Enriched  suddenly  by  an  unexpected  bequest,  he  at 
once  asked  for  a  dismissal,  and  the  next  day  he  began 
to  long  for  this  very  employment  that  he  had  so  often 
anathematized. 

He  endeavored  to  divert  his  mind ;  he  began  to 
make  a  collection  of  old  books ;  he  piled  up  huge 
mountains  of  tattered  and  worm-eaten  volumes  in  im- 
mense oaken  chests.  Vain  attempts !  He  could  not 
shake  off  his  ennui. 

He  grew  thin  and  yellow ;  his  income  of  forty  thou- 
sand francs  was  killing  him,  when  a  sudden  inspira- 
tion came  to  his  relief. 

It  came  to  him  one  evening  after  reading  the  me- 
moirs of  a  celebrated  detective,  one  of  those  men  of 


342  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

subtle  perception,  soft  as  silk,  supple  as  steel,  whom 
justice  sometimes  sets  upon  the  track  of  crime. 

"  And  I  also  am  a  detective !  "  he  exclaimed. 

It  was  necessary  for  him  to  prove  it. 

With  a  feverish  interest,  which  dated  from  that  day, 
he  perused  every  book  he  could  find  that  had  any  con- 
nection with  such  subjects.  Letters,  memoirs,  reports, 
pamphlets — everything. 

He  was  pursuing  his  education.  If  a  crime  was 
committed  he  started  out  in  quest  of  all  the  details,  and 
worked  up  the  case  by  himself. 

But  these  platonic  investigations  did  not  suffice  long. 

One  evening,  at  dusk,  he  summoned  all  his  resolu- 
tion, and  going  on  foot  to  the  prefecture,  humbly 
begged  employment  from  the  officials  there. 

He  was  not  very  favorably  received ;  applicants  are 
numerous.  But  he  pleaded  his  cause  so  adroitly  that 
he  was  charged  with  some  trifling  commissions.  He 
performed  them  admirably.  The  difficult  step  had 
been  taken. 

He  was  intrusted  with  others;  and  he  displayed  a 
wonderful  aptitude  for  his  chosen  work. 

The  affairs  of  Mme.  B ,  the  rich  banker's  wife, 

made  him  famous. 

Consulted  at  a  moment  when  the  police  had  aban- 
doned all  hope  of  solving  the  mystery,  he  proved  by  A 
plus  B,  by  a  mathematical  deduction,  so  to  speak,  that 
the  dear  lady  must  have  stolen  from  herself. 

He  had  told  the  truth. 

After  that  he  was  always  called  upon  for  counsel  in 
obscure  and  difficult  cases. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  tell  the  status  he  held  at  the 
prefecture.  When  a  person  is  employed,  salary,  com- 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  343 

pensation  of  some  kind  is  understood ;  but  this  strange 
man  had  never  consented  to  receive  a  penny. 

What  he  did  he  did  for  his  own  pleasure — for  the 
gratification  of  a  passion  which  had  become  his  very 
life — for  glory,  for  fame. 

When  the  funds  allowed  him  seemed  to  him  insuffi- 
cient, he  plunged  his  hands  into  his  own  pockets ;  and 
the  men  who  were  working  with  him  never  left  him 
without  carrying  with  them  substantial  tokens  of  his 
munificence. 

Of  course,  such  a  man  had  many  enemies. 

For  no  compensation,  he  worked  as  much  and  far 
better  than  two  inspectors  of  police.  In  calling  him 
"  spoil-trade,"  they  were  not  far  from  right. 

The  sound  of  his  name  alone  almost  threw  Gevrol 
into  convulsions.  And  still  the  jealous  inspector  was 
always  alluding  to  an  error  of  which  this  remarkable 
man  had  been  guilty. 

Inclined  to  obstinacy,  like  all  enthusiastic  men, 
Father  Tabaret  had  once  effected  the  conviction  of  an 
innocent  man — a  poor  little  tailor,  who  was  accused  of 
killing  his  wife. 

This  had  the  effect  of  cooling  his  ardor  very  per- 
ceptibly ;  and  afterward  he  seldom  visited  the  prefect- 
ure. 

But  in  spite  of  that,  he  remained  the  oracle,  like 
those  great  lawyers  who,  having  become  disgusted 
with  practice  at  the  bar,  still  win  great  and  glorious 
triumphs  in  their  quiet  studies,  and  lend  to  others  the 
weapons  which  they  no  longer  desire  to  wield  them- 
selves. 

When  the  authorities  were  undecided  what  course  to 
pursue,  they  said :  "  Let  us  go  and  consult  Tirauclair." 


344  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

For  this  was  the  name  by  which  he  was  known — a 
sobriquet  derived  from  a  phrase: 

"  II  faut  que  cela  se  tire  au  clair,"  which  was  ever 
upon  his  lips. 

Perhaps  this  sobriquet  aided  him  in  the  concealment 
of  his  occupation,  which  none  of  his  personal  friends 
had  ever  suspected. 

His  disturbed  life  when  he  was  working  up  a  case, 
the  strange  visitors  he  received,  his  frequent  and  pro- 
longed absence  from  home,  were  imputed  to  a  very 
unseasonable  inclination  to  gallantry  on  his  part. 

His  concierge  was  deceived  as  well  as  his  friends. 

They  laughed  at  his  supposed  infatuation;  they 
called  him  an  old  libertine. 

But  people  never  once  suspected  that  Tirauclair  and 
Tabaret  were  one  and  the  same  person. 

Lecoq  was  trying  to  gain  hope  and  courage  by  re- 
flecting upon  the  history  of  this  eccentric  man,  when 
the  housekeeper  reappeared,  announcing  the  departure 
of  the  physician. 

At  the  same  time  she  opened  a  door  and  said : 

"  This  is  Monsieur's  room ;  these  gentlemen  can 
enter  now." 

CHAPTER  XLI 

On  a  large  canopied  bed,  sweating  and  panting  be- 
neath his  covers,  lay  the  two-faced  oracle,  Tirauclair,  of 
the  prefecture — Tabaret,  of  the  Rue  Saint-Lazare. 

It  was  impossible  to  believe  that  the  owner  of  this 
face,  in  which  stupidity  seemed  always  disputing  with 
perpetual  astonishment,  could  possess  superior  talent, 
or  even  an  average  amount  of  intelligence. 

With  his  retreating  forehead,  and  his  immense  ears, 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  345 

his  odiously  retrousse  nose,  his  tiny  eyes  and  coarse, 
thick  lips,  M.  Tabaret  presented  an  excellent  picture 
of  an  ignorant  and  stupid  petty-proprietor. 

When  he  went  into  the  streets  the  impudent  gamins 
shouted  after  him ;  but  his  ugliness  did  not  trouble  him 
in  the  least,  and  he  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in  increas- 
ing his  appearance  of  stupidity,  delighting  himself  with 
the  reflection  that  "  he  is  not  really  a  genius  who  seems 
to  be  one." 

At  the  sight  of  the  two  detectives,  whom  he  knew 
very  well,  the  eyes  of  the  sick  man  sparkled. 

"  Good-morning,  Lecoq,  my  boy,"  said  he.  "  Good- 
morning,  my  old  Absinthe.  So  you  think  enough  of 
poor  Papa  Tirauclair  down  there  to  come  and  see 
him?" 

"  We  need  your  counsel,  Monsieur  Tabaret." 

"Ah,  ha!" 

"  We  have  just  been  as  completely  outwitted  as  if  we 
were  two  children." 

"  What !  was  your  man  so  very  cunning  ?  " 

Lecoq  heaved  a  mighty  sigh. 

"  So  cunning,"  he  replied,  "  that,  if  I  were  super- 
stitious, I  should  say  he  was  the  very  devil  himself." 

The  face  of  the  sick  man  wore  a  comical  expression 
of  envy. 

"  What !  you  have  found  a  treasure  like  that,  and 
you  complain!  Why,  it  is  a  magnificent  opportu- 
nity— a  chance  to  be  proud  of!  You  see,  my  boys, 
everything  has  degenerated  in  these  days.  The  race 
of  great  criminals  is  dying  out — only  their  counterfeit 
remains — a  crowd  of  low  offenders  who  are  not  worth 
the  shoe-leather  expended  in  pursuing  them.  It  is 
enough  to  disgust  a  detective,  upon  my  word.  No 
more  trouble,  emotion,  anxiety,  and  excitement. 


346  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

Now,  when  a  crime  is  committed,  the  criminal  is  in  jail 
the  next  day.  One  might  take  the  omnibus  and  go  to 
the  culprit's  house  and  arrest  him.  One  always  finds 
him — the  more  is  the  pity.  But  what  has  your  man 
been  doing  ?  " 

"  He  has  killed  three  men." 

"Oh !  oh !  oh !  "  said  Father  Tabaret,  in  three  differ- 
ent tones. 

This  criminal  was  evidently  superior  to  others  of  his 
species. 

"  And  where  did  it  happen  ?  " 

"  In  a  saloon,  near  the  barriere." 

"  Oh !  yes,  I  recollect ;  a  man  named  May.  The 
murders  were  committed  in  the  Widow  Chupin's 
cabin.  I  saw  it  mentioned  in  the  Gazette  aes  Tribunaux, 
and  Fanferlot  1'Ecureuil,  who  comes  to  see  me,  told 
me  that  you  were  strangely  puzzled  about  the  pris- 
oner's identity.  So  you  are  charged  with  investigat- 
ing the  affair  ?  So  much  the  better.  Tell  me  all  about 
it,  and  I  will  aid  you  with  all  my  little  power." 

He  suddenly  checked  himself,  and  lowering  his 
voice,  said: 

"  But  first  do  me  the  favor  to  rise ;  wait — when  I 
shall  make  a  sign  to  you,  open  that  door  there,  on  the 
left,  very  suddenly.  Mariette,  my  housekeeper,  who  is 
curiosity  itself,  is  there  listening.  I  hear  her  hair  rub- 
bing against  the  lock — go  !  " 

The  young  detective  obeyed,  and  Mariette,  caught 
in  the  act,  hastened  away,  pursued  by  her  master's  sar- 
casms. 

"  You  might  have  known  that  you  could  not  succeed 
at  that !  "  he  shouted  after  her. 

Though  they  were  much  nearer  the  door  than  Papa 
Tirauclair,  neither  Lecoq  nor  Father  Absinthe  had 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  3,47 

heard  the  slightest  sound;  and  they  looked  at  each 
other,  wondering  whether  their  host  had  been  playing 
a  little  farce  for  their  benefit,  or  whether  his  sense  of 
hearing  really  possessed  the  marvellous  acuteness 
which  this  incident  would  indicate. 

"  Now,"  said  Tabaret,  settling  himself  more  com- 
fortably upon  his  pillows — "  now  I  will  listen  to  you, 
my  boy.  Mariette  will  not  come  back  again." 

On  his  way  to  Father  Tabaret's,  Lecoq  had  busied 
himself  in  preparing  his  story ;  and  it  was  in  the  clear- 
est possible  manner  that  he  related  all  the  details,  all 
the  incidents  connected  with  this  strange  affair,  from 
the  moment  in  which  Gevrol  had  forced  open  the  door 
of  the  Poivriere,  to  the  instant  when  May  had  leaped 
over  the  garden-wall  at  the  Hotel  de  Sairmeuse. 

While  Lecoq  was  telling  his  story,  Father  Tabaret 
was  transformed. 

His  gout  was  entirely  forgotten. 

According  to  the  different  phases  of  the  recital,  he 
turned  and  twisted  upon  his  bed,  uttered  little  cries  of 
delight  or  disappointment,  or  lay  motionless,  plunged 
in  a  sort  of  ecstatic  beatitude,  like  an  enthusiast  in  clas- 
sical music,  listening  to  some  divine  melody  of  the 
great  Beethoven. 

"  If  I  had  been  there !  If  only  I  had  been  there !  " 
he  murmured  now  and  then  through  his  set  teeth. 

When  Lecoq's  story  was  ended,  his  host  gave  vent 
to  his  enthusiasm. 

"  It  is  beautiful !  it  is  grand !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  And 
with  just  that  one  sentence :  '  It  is  the  Prussians  who 
are  coming,'  for  a  starting-point !  Lecoq,  my  boy,  I 
must  say  that  you  have  conducted  this  affair  like  an 
angel!" 


348  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

"  Do  you  not  mean  to  say  like  a  fool  ?  "  demanded 
the  discouraged  detective. 

"  No,  my  friend,  certainly  not.  You  have  rejoiced 
my  old  heart.  I  can  die ;  I  shall  have  a  successor.  I 
would  like  to  embrace  you  in  the  name  of  logic.  Ah ! 
that  Gevrol  who  betrayed  you — for  he  did  betray  you, 
there  is  no  doubt  about  it — that  obtuse  and  obstinate 
general  is  not  worthy  to  unloose  the  latchets  of  your 
shoes !  " 

"  You  overpower  me,  Monsieur  Tabaret !  "  inter- 
rupted Lecoq,  who  was  not  yet  wholly  convinced  that 
his  host  was  not  mocking  him ;  "  but,  nevertheless, 
May  has  disappeared,  and  I  have  lost  my  reputation, 
before  I  had  begun  to  make  it." 

"  Do  not  be  in  such  a  hurry  to  reject  my  compli- 
ments," responded  Father  Tabaret,  with  a  horrible 
grimace.  "  I  say  that  you  have  conducted  this  inves- 
tigation very  well ;  but  it  could  have  been  done  much 
better,  very  much  better.  You  have  a  talent  for  this 
work,  that  is  evident;  but  you  lack  experience;  you 
become  elated  by  a  trifling  advantage,  or  you  are  dis- 
couraged by  a  mere  nothing;  you  fail,  and  yet  you 
persist  in  holding  fast  to  a  fixed  idea,  as  a  moth  flutters 
about  a  candle.  Then,  you  are  young.  But  never 
mind  that,  it  is  a  fault  you  will  outgrow  only  too  soon. 
And  now,  to  speak  frankly,  I  must  tell  you  that  you 
have  made  a  great  many  blunders." 

Lecoq  hung  his  head  like  a  school-boy  receiving  a 
reprimand  from  his  teacher.  Was  he  not  a  scholar, 
and  was  not  this  old  man  his  master? 

"  I  will  now  enumerate  your  mistakes,"  continued 
Papa  Tabaret,  "  and  I  will  show  you  where  you,  on  at 
least  three  occasions,  have  allowed  an  opportunity  for 
solving  this  mystery  to  escape  you." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  349 


But,  Monsieur- 


"  Chut !  chut !  my  boy,  let  me  talk  a  while  now. 
With  what  axiom  did  you  start  ?  With  this :  '  Always 
distrust  appearances ;  believe  precisely  the  contrary  of 
what  appears  true,  or  even  probable.'  " 

"  Yes,  that  is  exactly  what  I  said  to  myself." 

"  And  it  was  a  very  wise  conclusion.  With  that 
idea  in  your  lantern  to  illumine  your  path,  you  ought 
to  have  gone  straight  to  the  truth.  But  you  are 
young,  as  I  said  before;  and  the  very  first  circum- 
stance you  find  that  seems  at  all  probable,  you  forget 
entirely  the  rule  that  should  govern  your  conduct.  As 
soon  as  you  meet  a  fact  that  seems  more  than  probable, 
you  swallow  it  as  eagerly  as  a  gudgeon  swallows  the 
bait." 

This  comparison  could  but  pique  the  young  detec- 
tive. 

"  I  have  not  been,  it  seems  to  me,  as  simple  as  that," 
he  protested. 

"  Bah !  What  did  you  think,  then,  when  you  were 
told  that  Monsieur  d'Escorval  had  broken  his  leg,  in 
alighting  from  his  carriage  ?  " 

"  Believe !  I  believed  what  they  told  me,  be- 
cause  " 

He  paused,  and  Papa  Tirauclair  burst  into  a  hearty 
fit  of  laughing. 

"  You  believed  it,"  he  said,  "  because  it  was  a  very 
plausible  story." 

"  What  would  you  have  believed  had  you  been  in  my 
place?" 

"  Exactly  the  opposite  of  what  they  told  me.  I 
might  have  been  mistaken ;  but  it  would  be  the  logical 
conclusion  of  the  course  of  reasoning  I  adopted  at 
first." 


350  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

This  conclusion  was  so  bold  that  Lecoq  was  discon- 
certed. 

"  What ! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  do  you  suppose  that 
Monsieur  d'Escorval's  fall  is  only  a  fiction?  that  he 
has  not  broken  his  leg  ?  " 

Papa  Tabaret's  face  suddenly  assumed  a  serious  ex- 
pression. 

"  I  do  not  suppose  it,"  he  replied ;  "  I  am  sure  of 
it." 


CHAPTER  XLII 

Lecoq's  confidence  in  the  oracle  he  was  consulting 
was  very  great;  but  even  Papa  Tirauclair  might  be 
mistaken,  and  what  he  had  just  said  seemed  to  be  such 
an  enormity,  so  completely  beyond  the  bounds  of  pos- 
sibility, that  the  young  man  could  not  hide  a  gesture 
of  incredulity. 

"  So,  Monsieur  Tabaret,  you  are  ready  to  affirm  that 
Monsieur  d'Escorval  is  in  as  good  health  as  Father 
Absinthe  of  myself;,  and  that  he  has  confined  himself 
to  his  room  for  two  months  to  give  a  semblance  of 
truth  to  a  falsehood  ?  " 

"  I  would  be  willing  to  swear  it." 

"  But  what  could  possibly  have  been  his  object?  " 

Tabaret  lifted  his  hands  to  heaven,  as  if  imploring 
forgiveness  for  the  young  man's  stupidity. 

"  And  it  was  in  you — in  you  that  /  saw  a  successor, 
and  a  continuator  of  my  method  of  induction;  and 
now,  you  ask  me  such  a  question  as  that !  Reflect  a 
moment.  Must  I  give  you  an  example  to  aid  you? 
Very  well.  Suppose  yourself  a  judge.  A  crime  is 
committed;  you  are  charged  with  the  duty  of  investi- 
gating it,  and  you  visit  the  prisoner  to  question  him. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  35  * 

Very  well.  This  prisoner  has,  up  to  that  time,  suc- 
'ceeded  in  concealing  his  identity — this  was  the  truth 
in  the  present  case,  was  it  not?  Very  well.  What 
would  you  do,  if,  at  the  very  first  glance,  you  recog- 
nize, under  the  disguise  of  the  prisoner,  your  best 
friend,  or  your  bitterest  enemy  ?  What  would  you  do, 
I  say?" 

"  I  should  say  to  myself  that  a  magistrate  who  is 
obliged  to  hesitate  between  his  duty  and  his  inclina- 
tions, is  placed  in  a  very  trying  position,  and  I  should 
endeavor  to  avoid  it." 

"  I  understand  that ;  but  would  you  reveal  the  true 
personality  of  this  prisoner  (your  friend,  or  your  en- 
emy, as  the  case  may  be),  if  you  alone  knew  it  ?  " 

It  was  such  a  delicate  question ;  the  answer  was  so 
difficult  that  Lecoq  was  silent,  reflecting. 

"  I  would  reveal  nothing  whatever !  "  exclaimed 
Father  Absinthe.  "  I  would  remain  absolutely  neutral. 
I  should  tell  myself  that  others  were  trying  to  discover 
his  identity;  and  they  might  do  it  if  they  could — but 
my  conscience  should  be  clear." 

It  was  the  cry  of  honesty;  not  the  counsel  of  a 
casuist. 

"  I  should  also  be  silent,"  replied  Lecoq,  at  last ; 
"  and  it  seems  to  me  that,  in  keeping  silence,  I  should 
not  fail  in  the  obligation  of  a  magistrate." 

Papa  Tabaret  rubbed  his  hands  vigorously,  as  he 
always  did  when  he  was  about  to  present  some  over- 
whelming argument. 

"  Such  being  the  case,"  said  he,  "  do  me  the  favor  to 
tell  me  what  pretext  you  would  invent  in  order  to  with- 
draw from  the  case  without  arousing  suspicion  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know ;  I  cannot  say  now.     But  if  I  were 


352  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

placed  in  such  a  position  I  should  find  some  excuse — 
invent  something " 

"  And  if  you  could  find  nothing  better,"  interrupted 
Tabaret,  "  you  would  adopt  Monsieur  d'Escorval's  ex- 
pedient ;  you  would  pretend  that  you  had  broken  some 
limb.  Only,  as  you  are  a  clever  fellow,  it  would  be 
your  arm  that  you  would  sacrifice.  It  would  be  less 
inconvenient ;  and  you  would  not  be  condemned  to  se- 
clusion for  several  months." 

"  So,  Monsieur  Tabaret,  you  are  convinced  that 
Monsieur  d'Escorval  knows  who  May  really  is." 

Father  Tirauclair  turned  so  suddenly  in  his  bed  that 
his  forgotten  gout  drew  from  him  a  terrible  groan. 

"Can  you  doubt  it?"  he  exclaimed.  "Can  you 
possibly  doubt  it?  What  proofs  do  you  ask,  then? 
What  connection  do  you  see  between  the  fall  of  the 
judge  and  the  prisoner's  attempt  at  suicide  ? 

"  I  was  not  there,  as  you  were ;  I  know  the  story 
only  as  you  have  told  it  to  me.  I  could  not  see  it  with 
my  own  eyes  ;  but  this  is  as  I  understand  it — listen : 

"  Monsieur  d'Escorval,  his  task  at  the  Widow 
Chupin's  house  completed,  comes  to  the  prison  to  ex- 
amine the  assassin.  The  two  men  recognize  each 
other.  Had  they  been  alone,  mutual  explanations 
might  have  ensued,  and  affairs  taken  quite  a  different 
turn. 

"  But  they  were  not  alone ;  a  third  party  was  pres- 
ent— Monsieur  d'Escorval's  clerk.  So  they  could  say 
nothing.  The  judge,  in  a  troubled  voice,  asked  a  few 
commonplace  questions ;  the  prisoner,  terribly  agitat- 
ed, replied  as  best  he  could. 

"  After  leaving  the  cell,  Monsieur  d'Escorval  said  to 
himself :  '  No,  I  cannot  decide  in  the  case  of  a  man 
whom  I  hate ! ' 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  353 

"  He  was  terribly  perplexed.  When  you  tried  to 
speak  to  him,  as  he  was  leaving  the  prison,  he  harshly 
told  you  to  wait  until  to-morrow ;  and  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  later  he  pretended  to  fall." 

"  Then  you  think  that  Monsieur  d'Escorval  and  this 
so-called  May  are  enemies  ?  "  inquired  Lecoq. 

"  Do  not  the  facts  demonstrate  that  beyond  a 
doubt  ?  "  asked  Tabaret.  "  If  they  were  friends,  the 
judge  might  have  done  the  same  exactly ;  but  the  pris- 
oner would  not  have  attempted  to  strangle  himself. 

"  But,  thanks  to  you,  his  life  was  saved ;  for  he  owes 
his  life  to  you.  During  the  night,  confined  in  a 
strait-jacket,  he  was  powerless  to  injure  himself.  Ah ! 
how  he  must  have  suffered  that  night !  What  agony ! 

"  So  in  the  morning,  when  he  was  conducted  to  the 
cabinet  of  the  judge  for  examination,  it  was  with  a  sort 
of  frenzy  that  he  dashed  into  the  dreaded  presence  of 
his  enemy. 

"  He  expected  to  find  Monsieur  d'Escorval  there, 
ready  to  triumph  over  his  misfortunes;  and  he  in- 
tended to  say : 

" '  Yes,  it  is  I.  There  is  a  fatality  in  it.  I  have 
killed  three  men,  and  I  am  in  your  power.  But,  for 
the  very  reason  that  there  is  a  mortal  hatred  between 
us,  you  owe  it  to  yourself  not  to  prolong  my  tortures ! 
It  would  be  infamous  cowardice  in  you  to  do  so ! ' 

"  But,  instead  of  Monsieur  d'Escorval,  he  sees  Mon- 
sieur Segmuller.  Then  what  happens  ? 

"  He  is  surprised,  and  his  eye  betrays  the  astonish- 
ment he  feels  when  he  realizes  the  generosity  of  his 
enemy,  whom  he  had  believed  implacable. 

"  Then  a  smile  mounts  to  his  lips — a  smile  of  hope, 
for  he  thinks,  since  Monsieur  d'Escorval  has  not  be- 
trayed his  secret,  that  he  may  be  able  to  preserve  it,  and 


354  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

that  he  may,  perhaps,  emerge  from  this  shadow  of 
shame  and  of  crime  with  his  name  and  his  honor  still 
untarnished." 

And  with  a  sudden  change  of  tone,  and  an  ironical 
gesture,  Papa  Tabaret  added : 

"  And  that — is  my  explanation." 

Old  Father  Absinthe  had  risen,  frantic  with  delight. 

"  Cristi! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  that  is  it !  that  is  it !  " 

Lecoq's  approbation  was  none  the  less  evident,  be- 
cause it  was  mute. 

He  could  appreciate  this  rapid  and  wonderful  work 
of  induction  far  better  than  his  companion. 

For  a  moment  or  two  Papa  Tabaret  reclined  upon 
his  pillows  enjoying  the  sweets  of  admiration,  then  he 
continued : 

"  Do  you  desire  further  proofs,  my  boy  ?  Recollect 
the  perseverance  Monsieur  d'Escorval  displayed  in 
sending  Monsieur  Segmuller  for  information.  I  ad- 
mit that  a  man  may  have  a  passion  for  his  profession ; 
but  not  to  such  an  extent  as  this.  At  that  time  you  be- 
lieved that  his  leg  was  broken.  How  is  it  that  you  felt 
no  surprise  that  a  judge,  lying  upon  the  rack,  with  his 
bones  in  fragments,  should  take  so  much  interest  in  a 
miserable  murderer  ?  I  have  no  broken  bones,  I  have 
only  the  gout ;  but  I  know  very  well  that  when  I  am 
suffering  half  the  world  might  be  judging  the  other 
half,  and  the  idea  of  sending  Mariette  for  information 
would  never  occur  to  me.  Ah !  a  moment's  reflection 
would  have  enabled  you  to  understand  the  reason  of  his 
solicitude,  and  would  probably  have  given  you  the  key 
to  the  whole  mystery." 

Lecoq,  who  was  such  a  brilliant  casuist  in  the 
Widow  Chupin's  hovel,  who  was  so  full  of  confidence 
in  himself,  and  so  earnest  in  expounding  his  theories 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  355 

to  simple  Father  Absinthe — Lecoq  hung  his  head 
abashed  and  did  not  utter  a  word. 

But  he  felt  neither  anger  nor  impatience. 

He  had  come  to  ask  advice,  and  strange  to  say,  he 
thought  it  quite  right  that  it  should  be  given  him. 

He  had  made  mistakes,  and  when  they  were  pointed 
out  to  him,  he  did  not  become  angry — another  marvel ! 
— and  he  did  not  try  to  prove  that  he  had  been  right 
when  he  had  been  wrong. 

Meanwhile  M.  Tabaret  had  poured  out  a  great  glass 
of  tisane,  and  drained  it.  He  now  resumed : 

"  I  need  not  remind  you  of  the  mistake  you  made  in 
not  obliging  Toinon  Chupin  to  tell  you  all  she  knew 
about  this  affair  while  she  was  in  your  power.  '  A  bird 
in  the  hand  ' — you  know  the  proverb." 

"  Be  assured,  Monsieur  Tabaret,  that  this  mistake 
has  cost  me  enough  to  make  me  realize  the  danger  of 
ever  allowing  the  zeal  of  a  well-disposed  witness  to 
cool." 

"  We  will  say  no  more  about  that,  then.  But  I  must 
tell  you  that  three  or  four  times,  at  least,  it  has  been 
in  your  power  to  clear  up  this  mystery." 

He  paused,  awaiting  some  protestation  from  his  dis- 
ciple. None  came. 

"  If  he  says  this,"  thought  the  young  detective,  "  it 
must  indeed  be  so." 

This  discretion  made  a  great  impression  on  Papa 
Tabaret,  and  increased  the  esteem  he  had  conceived  for 
Lecoq. 

"  The  first  time  that  you  were  lacking  in  discretion 
was  when  you  were  trying  to  discover  the  owner  of  the 
diamond  ear-ring  found  in  the  Poivriere." 

"  I  made  every  effort  to  discover  the  last  owner." 

"  You  tried  very  hard,  I  do  not  deny  that ;  but  as  for 


356  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

making  every  effort — that  is  saying  too  much.  For 
example,  when  you  heard  that  the  Baroness  de 
Watchau  was  dead,  and  that  all  her  property  had  been 
sold,  what  did  you  do  ?  " 

"  You  know ;  I  went  immediately  to  the  person  who 
had  charge  of  the  sale." 

"  Very  well !  and  afterward  ?  " 

"  I  examined  the  catalogue ;  and  as,  among  the 
jewels  mentioned  there,  I  could  find  none  that  an- 
swered the  description  of  these  magnificent  diamonds, 
I  knew  that  the  clew  was  lost  entirely." 

"  There  is  precisely  where  you  are  mistaken !  "  ex- 
claimed Papa  Tirauclair,  exultantly.  "  If  a  jewel  of 
such  great  value  is  not  mentioned  in  the  catalogue  of 
the  sale  the  Baroness  de  Watchau  could  not  have  pos- 
sessed it  at  the  time  of  her  death.  And  if  she  no  longer 
possessed  it  she  must  have  given  it  away,  or  sold  it. 
And  to  whom  ?  To  one  of  her  friends,  very  probably. 

"  For  this  reason,  had  I  been  in  your  place,  I  should 
have  inquired  the  names  of  her  intimate  friends,  which 
would  have  been  a  very  easy  task ;  and  then,  I  should 
have  tried  to  win  the  favor  of  all  the  femmes  de  chambre 
of  these  lady  friends.  This  would  have  been  only  a 
pastime  for  a  good-looking  young  fellow  like  you. 

"  Then,"  he  continued,  "  I  would  have  shown  this 
ear-ring  to  each  maid  in  succession  until  I  found  one 
who  said :  '  This  diamond  belongs  to  my  mistress,'  or 
one  who  was  seized  with  a  nervous  trembling." 

"  And  to  think  that  this  idea  did  not  once  occur  to 
me!" 

"  Wait,  wait.  I  am  coming  to  the  second  mistake 
you  made.  What  did  you  do  when  you  obtained  pos- 
session of  the  trunk  which  May  pretended  was  his? 
You  played  directly  into  this  cunning  adversary's  hand. 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  357 

How  could  you  fail  to  see  that  this  trunk  was  only  an 
accessory  to  the  comedy,  that  it  could  only  have  been 
deposited  with  Madame  Milner  by  the  accomplice,  and 
that  all  its  contents  must  have  been  purchased  for  the 
occasion." 

"  I  knew  this,  of  course,  but  even  under  these  cir- 
cumstances, what  could  I  do?  " 

"  What  could  you  do,  my  boy  ?  Well,  I  am  only  a 
poor  old  man,  but  7  would  have  interviewed  every 
clothier  in  Paris ;  and  at  last  some  one  of  them  would 
have  exclaimed :  '  Those  articles !  Why,  I  sold  them 
to  an  individual  like  this  or  that — who  purchased  them 
for  one  of  his  friends,  whose  measure  he  brought  with 
him.'  " 

Angry  with  himself,  Lecoq  struck  his  clinched  hand 
violently  upon  the  table  by  his  side. 

"  Sacre  bleu! "  he  exclaimed,  "  that  method  was  in- 
fallible and  as  simple  as  the  day.  Ah !  never  while  I 
live  shall  I  forgive  myself  for  my  stupidity !  " 

"  Gently,  gently !  "  interrupted  the  sick  man ;  "  you 
are  going  too  far,  my  dear  boy.  Stupidity  is  not  the 
proper  word  at  all;  you  should  say  carelessness, 
thoughtlessness.  You  are  young — what  else  could 
one  expect  ?  What  is  far  less  inexcusable  is  the  man- 
ner in  which  you  conducted  the  chase,  after  the  pris- 
oner was  allowed  to  escape." 

"  Alas !  "  murmured  the  young  man,  now  completely 
discouraged ;  "  did  I  blunder  in  that?  " 

"  Terribly,  my  son ;  and  here  is  where  I  really  blame 
you.  What  diabolical  influence  induced  you  to  follow 
this  May,  step  by  step,  like  a  common  policeman  ?  " 

This  time  Lecoq  was  stupefied. 

"  Ought  I  to  have  allowed  him  to  escape  me  ?  "  he 
inquired. 


358  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  No ;  but  if  I  had  been  by  your  side  when,  beneath 
the  gallery  of  the  Odeon,  you  so  clearly  divined  the 
prisoner's  intentions,  I  should  have  said  to  you :  '  This 
fellow,  friend  Lecoq,  will  hasten  to  the  house  of 
Madame  Milner  to  inform  her  of  his  escape.  Let  u* 
run  after  him/  And  when  he  had  left  the  Hotel  de 
Mariembourg,  I  should  have  added :  '  Now,  let  him  go 
where  he  chooses ;  but  attach  yourself  to  Madame  Mil- 
ner ;  do  not  lose  sight  of  her ;  cling  to  her  as  closely  as 
her  own  shadow,  for  she  will  conduct  you  to  the  ac- 
complice— that  is  to  say — to  the  solution  of  the  mys- 
tery." 

"  That  is  the  truth ;  I  see  it  now." 

"  But  instead  of  that,  what  did  you  do  ?  You  ran  to 
the  hotel,  you  terrified  the  boy!  When  a  fisherman 
has  hold  of  the  seme,  and  is  ready  to  draw  in  the  fish,  he 
does  not  beat  the  drum  to  frighten  them  away !  " 

Papa  Tabaret  thus  reviewed  the  entire  course  of  in- 
struction, remodelling  it  in  accordance  with  his  method 
of  induction. 

Lecoq  had,  at  first,  had  a  magnificent  inspiration. 
In  his  first  investigations  he  had  displayed  remarkable 
talent;  and  yet  he  had  not  succeeded.  Why?  Sim- 
ply because  he  had  neglected  the  axiom  with  which  he 
started  :  "  Always  distrust  what  seems  probable !  " 

But  the  young  man  listened  with  divided  attention. 
A  thousand  projects  were  darting  through  his  brain. 
Soon  he  could  restrain  himself  no  longer. 

"  You  have  saved  me  from  despair,  Monsieur,"  he 
interrupted.  "  I  thought  all  was  lost ;  but  I  see  that 
my  blunders  can  be  repaired.  What  I  neglected  to  do, 
I  can  do  now ;  there  is  still  time.  Have  I  not  the  dia- 
mond ear-ring  as  well  as  divers  effects  of  the  prisoner 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  359 

still  in  my  possession  ?  Madame  Milner  still  owns  the 
Hotel  de  Mariembourg,  and  I  am  going  to  watch  it." 

"  And  with  what  object,  my  boy?  " 

"  For  what  object  ?  Why,  to  find  my  prisoner,  to  be 
sure !  " 

Had  he  been  less  engrossed  in  his  idea,  Lecoq  would 
have  detected  a  slight  smile  in  Tirauclair's  thick  lips. 

"  Ah,  my  son !  is  it  possible  that  you  do  not  suspect 
the  real  name  of  this  pretended  buffoon  ?  " 

Lecoq  trembled  and  turned  away  his  face.  He  did 
not  wish  Tabaret  to  see  his  eyes. 

"  No,"  he  replied,  "  I  do  not  suspect " 

"  You  are  uttering  a  falsehood !  "  interrupted  the 
sick  man.  "  You  know  as  well  as  I  do,  that  May  re- 
sides on  the  Rue  de  Grenelle-Saint-Germain,  and  that 
he  is  known  as  Monsieur  le  Due  de  Sairmeuse.'" 

On  hearing  these  words,  Father  Absinthe  laughed 
heartily. 

"  Ah !  that  is  a  good  joke !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  Ah, 
ha!" 

Such  was  not  Lecoq's  opinion,  however. 

"  Well,  yes,  Monsieur  Tabaret,"  said  he,  "  this  idea 
did  occur  to  me ;  but  I  drove  it  away." 

"  And  why,  if  you  please?  " 

"  Because — because " 

"  Because  you  would  not  believe  the  logical  se- 
quence of  your  premises ;  but  I  am  consistent,  and  I 
say :  "  It  seems  impossible  that  the  assassin  in  the 
cabin  of  the  Widow  Chupin  should  be  the  Due  de 
Sairmeuse.'  Hence,  the  murderer  in  the  Chupin 
cabin,  May,  the  pretended  buffoon,  is  the  Due  de 
Sairmeuse ! " 


360  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 


CHAPTER  XLIII 

How  this  idea  had  entered  Papa  Tabaret's  head,  Le- 
coq  could  not  comprehend. 

A  vague  suspicion  had,  it  is  true,  flitted  through  his 
own  mind ;  but  it  was  at  a  moment  when  his  despair 
at  seeing  his  prisoner  elude  his  grasp,  as  well  as  cer- 
tain words  uttered  by  Couturier,  would  furnish  an  ex- 
cuse for  almost  any  supposition. 

But  Father  Tirauclair  calmly — in  cold  blood,  so  to 
speak — announced  as  an  undeniable  fact  a  suspicion 
which  he,  Lecoq,  had  not  dared  to  entertain,  even  for 
an  instant,  in  his  wildest  excitement. 

The  sick  man  could  not  fail  to  notice  the  amazement 
of  his  visitor. 

"  You  look  as  if  you  had  suddenly  fallen  from  the 
clouds,"  said  he.  "  Do  you  suppose  that  I  spoke  at 
random  like  a  parrot  ?  " 

"  No,  certainly  not,  Monsieur ;  but " 

"  Hush !  You  are  surprised  because  you  know 
nothing  of  contemporaneous  history.  If  you  do  not 
wish  to  remain  all  your  life  as  a  common  detective,  like 
your  friend  Gevrol,  you  must  inform  yourself  on  this 
subject." 

"  I  must  confess  that  I  do  not  see  the  connection." 

M.  Tabaret  deigned  no  response.  Turning  to 
Father  Absinthe,  and  addressing  him  in  the  most  affa- 
ble tones,  he  said : 

"  Do  me  the  favor,  my  old  friend,  to  go  to  my  library 
and  bring  me  two  large  volumes  entitled :  '  General 
Biography  of  the  Men  of  the  Present  Age/  They  are 
in  the  book-case  on  the  right." 


MONSIEUR   LECOQ  361 

Father  Absinthe  hastened  to  obey;  and  as  soon  as 
he  was  in  possession  of  the  books,  M.  Tabaret  began 
turning  the  pages  with  an  eager  hand,  like  a  person 
seeking  some  word  in  a  dictionary. 

"  Esbayron,"  he  muttered,  "  Escars,  Escayrac,  Es- 
cher,  Escodica — at  last  we  have  it — Escorval !  Listen 
attentively,  my  boy,  and  you  will  be  enlightened." 

This  injunction  was  entirely  unnecessary.  Never 
had  the  young  detective's  faculties  been  more  keenly  on 
the  alert. 

It  was  in  an  emphatic  voice  that  the  sick  man  read : 

"  '  Escorval  (Louis-Guillaume,  Baron  d'). — Diplo- 
matist and  politician,  born  in  Montaignac,  December 
3rd,  1769,  of  an  old  family  of  lawyers.  He  was  com- 
pleting his  studies  in  Paris  on  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Revolution.  He  embraced  the  cause  with  all  the  ardor 
of  youth.  But,  soon  disapproving  the  excesses  com- 
mitted in  the  name  of  Liberty,  he  sided  with  the  Reac- 
tionists, counselled,  perhaps,  by  Roederer,  who  was 
one  of  his  relatives. 

" '  Commended  to  the  favor  of  the  first  consul  by 
Monsieur  de  Talleyrand,  he  entered  upon  his  diplo- 
matic career  with  a  mission  to  Switzerland ;  and  dur- 
ing the  existence  of  the  empire  he  was  intrusted  with 
many  very  important  negotiations. 

"  '  Devoted  body  and  soul  to  the  Emperor,  he  found 
himself  gravely  compromised  by  the  Second  Restora- 
tion. 

"  '  At  the  time  of  the  disturbances  in  Montaignac,  he 
was  arrested  on  the  double  charge  of  high  treason  and 
conspiracy.  He  was  tried  by  a  military  commission, 
and  condemned  to  death. 

"  '  The  sentence  was  not  executed,  however.  He 
owed  his  life  to  the  noble  devotion  and  heroic  energy 


362  MONSIEUR   LECOQ 

of  a  priest,  one  of  his  friends,  the  Abbe  Midon,  ture  of 
the  little  village  of  Sairmeuse. 

"  '  The  Baron  d'Escorval  had  only  one  son,  who  en- 
tered upon  the  duties  of  magistrate  at  a  very  early 
age.'" 

Lecoq  was  intensely  disappointed. 

"  I  understand,"  he  remarked.  "  It  is  the  biography 
of  the  father  of  our  judge.  Only  I  do  not  see  that  it 
teaches  us  anything." 

An  ironical  smile  curved  Father  Tirauclair's  lips. 

"  It  teaches  us  that  Monsieur  d'Escorval's  father 
was  condemned  to  death,"  he  replied.  "  That  is  some- 
thing, I  assure  you.  A  little  patience,  you  will  soon 
know  all." 

He  had  found  a  new  leaf,  and  he  continued  his  read- 
ing: 

" '  Sairmeuse  (Anne-Marie-Victor  de  Tingry,  Due 
de). — A  French  general  and  politician,  born  at  the 
Chateau  de  Sairmeuse,  near  Montaignac,  January  17, 
1758.  The  Sairmeuse  family  is  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  illustrious  in  France.  It  must  not  be  confounded 
with  the  ducal  family  De  Sermeuse,  whose  name  is 
written  with  an  e. 

"  '  Leaving  France  at  the  beginning  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, Anne  de  Sairmeuse  distinguished  himself  by  his 
brilliant  exploits  in  the  army  of  Conde.  Some  years 
later  he  offered  his  sword  to  Russia ;  and  it  is  asserted 
by  some  of  his  biographers  that  he  was  fighting  in  the 
Russian  ranks  at  the  time  of  the  disastrous  retreat  from 
Moscow. 

" '  Returning  to  France  with  the  Bourbons,  he  be- 
came quite  famous  by  reason  of  the  intensity  of  his 
ultra-royalist  opinions.  It  is  certain  that  he  had  the 
good  fortune  to  regain  the  possession  of  his  immense 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  363 

family  estates;  and  the  rank  and  dignities  which  he 
had  gained  in  foreign  lands  were  confirmed. 

"  *  Appointed  by  the  king  to  serve  upon  the  military 
commission  charged  with  bringing  to  justice  and  try- 
ing the  conspirators  of  Montaignac,  he  displayed  a 
severity  and  a  zeal  that  resulted  in  the  capture  and  con- 
viction of  all  the  parties  implicated.'  " 

Lecoq  sprang  up  with  sparkling  eyes. 

"  I  see  it  clearly  now,"  he  exclaimed.  "  The  father 
of  the  present  Due  de  Sairmeuse  tried  to  have  the 
father  of  the  present  Monsieur  d'Escorval  beheaded." 

M.  Tabaret  was  the  picture  of  complacency. 

"You  see  the  assistance  history  gives,"  said  he. 
"  But  I  have  not  finished,  my  boy ;  the  present  Due 
de  Sairmeuse  also  has  his  article,  that  will  be  of  inter- 
est to  us.  So  listen  : 

"  '  Sairmeuse  (Anne-Marie-Martial). — Son  of  the 
preceding,  was  born  in  London  in  1791,  received  his 
early  education  in  England,  and  completed  it  at  the 
Court  of  Austria,  which  he  has  since  visited  on  several 
confidential  missions. 

"  '  Heir  of  the  opinions,  the  prejudices,  and  the  ani- 
mosities of  his  father,  he  placed  at  the  service  of  his 
party  a  highly  cultivated  intellect,  unusual  penetration, 
and  extraordinary  abilities.  A  leader  at  the  time  when 
political  passion  was  raging  highest,  he  had  the  cour- 
age to  assume  the  sole  responsibility  of  the  most  ex- 
treme measures.  Obliged  to  retire  from  office  on  ac- 
count of  general  animadversion,  he  left  behind  him  ill- 
will  and  hatred,  which  will  be  extinguished  only  with 
his  life.' " 

The  sick  man  closed  the  book,  and  with  assumed 
modesty,  he  asked : 


364  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

"  Ah,  well !  What  do  you  think  of  my  little  method 
of  induction  ?  " 

But  Lecoq  was  too  much  engrossed  with  his  own 
thoughts  to  respond. 

"  I  think,"  he  remarked,  "  if  the  Due  de  Sairmeuse 
had  disappeared  for  two  months,  the  period  of  May's 
imprisonment,  all  Paris  would  have  known  it,  and 

crt^_ _  " 

"  You  are  dreaming !  "  interrupted  Father  Tabaret. 
"  With  his  wife  and  his  -valet  de  chambre  for  accom- 
plices, the  duke  could  absent  himself  for  a  year  if  he 
wished,  and  all  his  servants  would  believe  him  in  the 
hotel." 

"  I  admit  that,"  said  Lecoq,  at  last ;  "  but  unfortu- 
nately, there  is  one  circumstance  which  overturns  this 
theory  we  have  built  up  so  laboriously." 

"  And  what  is  that,  if  you  please  ?  " 

"  If  the  man  who  took  part  in  the  broil  at  the  Poiv- 
riere  had  been  the  Due  de  Sairmeuse,  he  would  have 
disclosed  his  name ;  he  would  have  declared  that,  hav- 
ing been  attacked,  he  had  only  defended  himself ;  and 
his  name  alone  would  have  opened  the  prison  doors  for 
him.  Instead  of  that,  what  did  the  prisoner  do  ?  He 
attempted  to  kill  himself.  Would  a  grand  seigneur, 
like  the  Due  de  Sairmeuse,  to  whom  life  must  be  a 
perpetual  enchantment,  have  thought  of  committing 
suicide?  " 

A  mocking  whistle  from  Father  Tabaret  interrupted 
the  speaker. 

"  You  seem  to  have  forgotten  the  last  sentence  in 
the  paragraph :  '  Monsieur  Sairmeuse  leaves  behind 
him  ill-will  and  hatred.'  Do  you  know  the  price  he 
might  have  been  compelled  to  pay  for  his  liberty? 
No ;  no  more  do  I.  To  explain  his  presence  at  the 


MONSIEUR    LECOQ  365. 

Poivriere,  and  the  presence  of  a  woman,  who  was,  per- 
haps, his  wife,  who  knows  what  disgraceful  secrets  he 
would  be  obliged  to  betray  ?  Between  shame  and  sui- 
cide, he  chose  suicide.  He  wished  to  save  his  name 
and  his  honor  intact." 

Father  Tirauclair  spoke  with  such  vehemence  that 
even  old  Father  Absinthe  was  deeply  impressed ;  al- 
though, to  tell  the  truth,  he  had  understood  but  little  of 
the  conversation. 

He  was  now  delighted  and  confident. 

As  for  Lecoq,  he  rose,  very  pale,  his  lips  trembling 
a  little — like  a  man  who  had  just  taken  an  invincible 
determination. 

"  You  will  excuse  my  hypocrisy,  Father  Tabaret," 
he  said,  in  an  agitated  voice.  "  I  had  thought  of  all 
this,  but  I  distrusted  myself.  I  wished  to  hear  you 
say  it." 

Then  with  an  imperious  gesture,  he  added : 

"  Now,  I  know  what  I  have  to  do." 

Father  Tabaret  lifted  his  hands  toward  heaven  with 
every  sign  of  intense  dismay. 

"  Unhappy  man !  "  he  exclaimed ;  "  do  you  think  of 
going  to  arrest  the  Due  de  Sairmeuse  ?  Poor  Lecoq ! 
Free,  this  man  is  almost  omnipotent,  and  you,  an  in- 
finitesimal agent  of  police,  will  be  broken  like  glass. 
Take  care,  my  boy ;  do  not  attack  the  duke.  I  would 
not  be  responsible,  even  for  your  life." 

The  young  detective  shook  his  head. 

"  Oh,  I  do  not  deceive  myself,"  said  he.  "  I  know 
that  the  duke  is  far  beyond  my  reach.  But  he  will  be 
in  my  power  again  on  the  day  I  learn  his  secret.  I  do 
not  fear  danger ;  but  I  know,  if  I  would  succeed,  I  must 
conceal  myself — I  will  conceal  myself  then.  Yes,  I 


366  MONSIEUR    LECOQ 

will  remain  in  shadow  until  the  day  when  I  can  remove 
the  veil  from  this  mystery;  then  I  will  appear  in  my 
true  character.  And  if  May  is  really  the  Due  de 
Sairmeuse  I  shall  have  my  revenge." 


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